Lt. Col. Thammanat asks to wait for clarity on “Half-Half Fertilizer”

Government House, Lt. Col. Thammanat, Minister of Agriculture, asks to wait for clarity on whether the "Half-Half Fertilizer" will continue or not, requests to separate the matter from the 1,000 baht per rai compensation, while the Cabinet approves 100% rice field insurance. Colonel Thammanat Prompao, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, revealed the cabinet resolution that the cabinet approved the 2024 wet season rice insurance project, in which the government and the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) will jointly pay compensation and insurance premiums to farmers in the 2024 to 2025 production years. As for the fertilizer project, each person pays half, Colonel Thammanat stated that yesterday there was a meeting of the executive committee of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, to discuss fertilizer guidelines. It was found that farmers had already planted rice and it was not in time for this season's rice planting. In addition, the BAAC could not match the additional 500 baht, so there was a meeting to review the project this afternoon, which will have an answer today. Colonel Thammanat said that he wanted to separate the project of fertilizer for each person and the project to develop the quality of rice and increase the yield per rai, which is about reducing production costs. As for the project of 1,000 baht per rai, the government must provide support during times of problems, whether it is natural disasters or low rice prices. He asked for a clear separation. If the rice price does not fall, the government will not provide assistance to farmers, right? Colonel Thammanat said that this matter has many factors and is a sensitive matter. Every time, there must be a meeting. The Ministry of Commerce must be the one to propose the rice price guarantee for consideration. Source: Thai News Agency