Bangkok: The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives called an urgent meeting of all affiliated agency executives to prepare for the impact of the escalating tensions in the Middle East, which are driving up agricultural costs, particularly the prices of oil and fertilizers. The meeting aimed to finalize measures for the new Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives' consideration as soon as possible.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Winairoj Sapsongsuk, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, chaired a meeting of senior executives under the ministry. This followed Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's directive to the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to closely monitor farmers' access to production inputs, ensuring there are no shortages and that inputs are aligned with the planting season.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives will integrate its work with the Ministry of Commerce and relevant private sector entities, such as the Thai Soil and Fertilizer Association and other associations related to the fertilizer business, to manage fertilizer supply in the country efficiently and minimize the impact on farmers' costs.
At the same time, plans must be made to assist vulnerable groups, using farmer databases to determine targeted assistance, and monitoring the situation through the Center for Monitoring and Managing the Conflict in the Middle East (CMA) to continuously report information and communicate with the public.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives stated that this meeting covered all dimensions, including crops, livestock, fisheries, water management, and land use, in order to develop concrete measures to mitigate the impacts. All proposals will be summarized and submitted to the new Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives to expedite the resolution of the problems.
Ms. Anchalee Suwajittanont, Director-General of the Department of Agricultural Extension, stated that Thailand currently imports over 90% of its chemical fertilizers, valued at approximately 60 billion baht annually. This poses a cost risk in the face of volatile global market prices.
The Department of Agricultural Extension is therefore promoting the establishment of 882 Community Soil and Fertilizer Management Centers (CSFM) across all 77 provinces. These centers aim to help reduce farmers' production costs through the use of fertilizers based on soil analysis, combined with organic fertilizers and bio-materials, adhering to the "4 Right" principles: the right formula, the right rate, the right time, and the right method.
The results showed a 21.9% average reduction in chemical fertilizer costs and a 7.7% increase in yield. Specifically for rice, costs were reduced by 38.1% and yields increased by 23%, while for sugarcane, costs were reduced by 34.9% and yields increased by a remarkable 57%.
The Department of Agricultural Extension is preparing to address the risk of fertilizer shortages by promoting the appropriate use of organic fertilizers, biofertilizers, green manure, and Azolla in conjunction with chemical fertilizers. It will also develop Community-based Soil and Fertilizer Service Centers (CSFS) to expand knowledge to a wider farmer base.
For 2026, the goal is to expand the soil and fertilizer management program to large-scale farmers and general farmers in order to help reduce costs, increase productivity, and improve the quality of life for Thai farmers in the long term.