Bangkok--23 Jan--BRIA Regional Secretariat
The Rice Department (RD) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MoAC) announced Thailand’s rice strategies for 2015-2019 at the ‘Kick off Consultation’ event recently orgainized by Better Rice Initiative Asia (BRIA) under the German Food Partnership (GFP) and Bayer CropScience, at Sunee Grand Hotel, Ubon Ratchathani Province.
In his opening address, Dr. Apichart Pongsrihadulchai, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, said BRIA promotes sustainable rice production and improved rice quality in South East Asia, which will contribute to the world food security in light of the growth of the current world population of seven billion to over nine billion people in 2050. This is in line with the Thai Government’s policy. Rice is Thailand’s important cash crop as the country is the world’s top rice exporter and 6th largest producer. The BRIA project is benefiticial to Thailand and implemented in 6 provinces including Ubon Ratchathani, Sisaket, Surin, and Roi Et in the Northeast and Ayutthaya and Suphanburi in the Central region.
He siad the Thai Government’s vision for rice is ‘Thailand is to be the leading rice trader in the world market, create efficient market mechanisms, bring about a balance for every sector, become an efficient rice production source, enable farmers to enjoy good livelihoods and strengthen rice farmer organizations.’
According to Dr. Apichart, the national rice production strategy for 2015-2019 focuses on management of rice cultivation areas and production output, higher rice productivity, improved rice quality and rice value, strengthening of rice farmers and their organizations while the national rice marketing strategy calls for sustainable and stable rice development plans, fairness in the rice trading system, international standards for rice production and trade, potential development of rice trading systems, promotion of world rice consumption, rice innovation, and effective logistics management.
Mr. Chanpithya Shimphalee, Director General of the Rice Department, presented the rice production restructuring plan to address problems of the overall industry and to better balance supply and demand.
He said Thailand produces an oversupply of 4.43 million ton of paddy rice or 2.92 million ton of milled rice annually. The productivity is low especially for rice grown in unsuitable cultivation areas of 11.2 million rais. It is necessary to restore a balance between the supply and demand by reducing low quality rice, producing more high quality rice, inceasing production efficiency, growing rice for niche markets. This will raise farmers‘ incomes.
Mr. Sinchai Swasdichai, Country Head Thailand and Myanmar, Bayer CropScience said Bayer is BRIA’s private partner apart from the Rice Department, the German International Cooperation (GIZ) and others. The company wants to play a part in lifting rice productivity and lowering production costs in the Northeast and see smallholder farmers improve their livelihoods.
Mr. Suriyan Vichitlekarn, BRIA Regional Project Director, said BRIA’s ‘Kick off Consultation’ event was an open forum for farmers from community rice centers and relevant stakeholders, officials from government agencies to straightforwardly discuss problems and voice constructive opinions with the aim of enhancing the Thai rice value chain and integrating cooperation among various public and private sectors and farmers for the ‘Better Thai Rice Industry.’