Rice-pledging scheme holds firm

The government will have adequate funds to continue its rice-pledging scheme this year, with the guaranteed price remaining at Bt15,000 per tonne, the Commerce Ministry says.

Ministry permanent secretary Vatchari Vimooktayon said Monday that the government is expected to spend Bt297 billion on the scheme for this year's harvests.

"The government is confident that we will have sufficient funds to carry on the pledging scheme at the same price. The drought problem has caused lower-than-expected yields of rice in the upcoming season, so the spending on pledging will be lower than last year," Vatchari said.

The Nation