Rice packers' prices spark ire
The Thai Rice Packers Association yesterday filed a complaint with the Commerce Ministry that retail giants had forced them to sell products at unfairly low prices so as to draw more customers.
Deputy Commerce Minister Oranuj Osathananda yesterday said representatives had called for the government to inspect superstores to learn whether they violate clauses under the retail guidelines stipulated by the ministry. Oranuj said rice packers had been forced to sell at very low prices to the large retail stores. Retailers would then dump their selling price to attract customers. The ministry is investigating whether the actions of the mega-stores have breached the price-dumping provision. Rice packers have asked for the ministry to control the standards of large retailers' house brands. They said many manufacturers had been forced to produce brands of low quality because of retailers' insistence on low-priced goods.
Petchanet Pratruangkrai The Nation
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