Commerce prepares to connect cheap fertilizer to help farmers, Phase 2 starts on 1 April.

Nonthaburi: The Deputy Director-General of the Department of Internal Trade stated that he is preparing to link cheap fertilizer to help farmers in Phase 2. The project will start from April 1 - June 30, 2024 as before, allowing farmers to buy cheaper fertilizer and medicine, reducing costs. A new round of rice cultivation is possible. Lt. Col. Chakra Yodmanee, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Internal Trade, said that the Department of Internal Trade has been in the area to monitor the situation of prices and quantities of fertilizers and pesticides at the Song Phi Nong Agricultural Cooperative Limited, Sahakit Agricultural Chemical Shop. and Sunthon Kaset Shop, Song Phi Nong District, Suphan Buri Province, together with Mrs. Kanchana Chommee, Suphan Buri Provincial Phanit, Mr. Ubon Det-Um, Suphan Buri Provincial Cooperative. and representatives of the Suphanburi Provincial Agriculture Office It was found that both fertilizer and pesticide prices decreased significantly compared to the same peri od last year. As for the amount of fertilizer and pesticide use, In the area of Suphanburi province and other provinces In the central region, it is expected to increase in May, when farmers will begin planting rice and will begin purchasing more fertilizer from April onwards. However, both cooperatives and stores that sell fertilizer and pesticides They confirmed that the amount of fertilizer and pesticides etc. There is enough to meet the needs. There are no problems. Prices of primary fertilizer and fertilizer formulas that farmers use a lot include urea fertilizer (46-0-0), average price in the central region is 850 baht/sack, down 13%. Phosphate fertilizer (18-46-0), average price is 1,150. Baht/sack, decreased by 34%. Potash fertilizer (0-0-60) average price was 950 baht/sack, decreased by 42%. Fertilizer formula 21-0-0, average price was 530 baht/sack, decreased by 22%. Fertilizer. Formula 15-15-15 has an average price of 1,020 baht/sack, a decrease of 22%, and fertilizer formula 16-20-0 has an averag e price of 880 baht/sack, a decrease of 24%. As for the pesticides that agriculture uses a lot, they include the herbicide glyphosate. The average price was 145 baht/liter, a decrease of 29%. Glufosinate herbicide. The average price was 200 baht/liter, a decrease of 27%, and the insecticide abamectin The average price is 160 baht/liter, a decrease of 29%. Prices vary according to area and brand. By the price trends of fertilizers and pesticides During this period it is considered stable. and may be reduced further in some formulas Some brands have lower import costs due to the large amount of stock available. Therefore, the demand for fertilizers and pesticides etc. Increases during the growing season are unlikely to affect prices. We would like to remind all merchants not to take the opportunity to increase prices without reasonable cause. and must clearly display the selling price In addition, it was found that agricultural cooperatives in the area of Song Phi Nong District include Song Phi Nong Agricultu ral Cooperative Limited, BAAC Suphanburi Customer Marketing Cooperative Limited, Derm Bang Nang Buat Agricultural Cooperative. Co., Ltd. has ordered more than 80,000 sacks of fertilizer in the project linking cheap chemical fertilizers to farmers through the Farmers Institute. Mr. Wang Bunluephan, chairman of the Song Phi Nong Agricultural Cooperative Limited, said that the project linking cheap chemical fertilizers, etc. It has received a lot of interest from farmers, both members and non-members. Because it allows farmers to buy fertilizer cheaper than in the general market and helps reduce costs for farmers. In this regard, the project links cheap chemical fertilizers. It is carried out according to the policy of Mr. Phumtham Wechayachai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce. that gives importance to helping reduce expenses, increase income, expand opportunities, especially by reducing costs of production factors Including promoting farmers to use fertilizer correctly and appropriately to increa se yield and quality. This will help increase income for farmers. Thanks to the Cooperative Promotion Department Department of Agricultural Extension and all fertilizer importers and manufacturers as well The project to link cheap chemical fertilizers in the first phase (2 Oct. '23 - 31 Mar. '24) was a period when farmers still did not use much fertilizer. But it received good attention and response. There is an order total of approximately 1.2 million sacks of fertilizer for the second phase. It will start from 1 April - 30 June 2024 as before. The department will publish the list and prices of fertilizers participating in the project. Via the website of the Department of Internal Trade www.dit.go.th And there will be a press conference to inform farmers all over the country of the details. Initially, there was fertilizer involved in the project. In total there are more than 5 million sacks and there are still more notifications coming in Source: Thai News Agency