Published: 13/11/2012
Bangkok Post
Writer: Patsara Jikkham & Phusadee Arunmas
The cabinet yesterday approved the Commerce
Ministry's plan to develop a rice trade partnership with Cambodia, Laos,
Myanmar and Vietnam to stabilise international rice prices.
The ministry's proposal involves the creation of a rice trade zone
with the neighbouring countries, according to deputy government
spokesman Pakdihan Himathongkam.
The plan will include meetings with government officials from all
five countries as well as representatives from the Asean rice
cooperation committee and Asean rice millers and traders' associations.
Closer commercial and governmental cooperation built into the rice
trade zone is expected to stabilise rice prices in global markets,
promote food security in the region, and prevent the smuggling of rice
from neighbouring countries.
It is believed rice smugglers are attempting to cash in on Thailand's rice pledging scheme.
The cabinet asked the Commerce Ministry to form a working group to arrange and plan for the creation of the trade zones.
According to a source at the Commerce Ministry, the rice trade zone
project will begin with Cambodia and will involve rice trade in the
border areas of Thailand and Cambodia. The zone in Thailand will cover
Buri Ram, Si Sa Ket, Sa Kaeo, Prachin Buri and Chachoengsao provinces.
Paddy from Cambodia will be imported and milled in Thailand and then exported from Thailand on behalf of Cambodia.
The process will be controlled to prevent Cambodian rice from being mixed with Thai rice connected to the rice pledging scheme.
At present, Cambodia's rice supply exceeds its demand by over 1
million tonnes. The country exports part of its rice to Vietnam and the
rest of the excess spills into Thailand across the border.
Cambodia has insufficient mills and warehouses to handle all its
rice. This forces the country to hastily export its rice at low prices,
dragging down prices on the global market.
The Thai government plans to handle Cambodian rice through the rice trade zone project as a way to manage stock levels.
Officials said that the arrangement will provide Cambodia with more
channels to release its rice while stabilising prices.The programme will
also benefit Thailand as Cambodian rice will not have to be exported
quickly and more cheaply than Thai rice.
The trade zone is also expected to eliminate illegally smuggled rice from the Thai rice pledging scheme.
2 comments:
Why milled in Thailand not in Cambodia, Cambodia will loss its by-product from milled rice in Thailand and create no job in Cambodia.
We can put in this way mill all Thai rices in Cambodia and export to Thailand and let Thai sale their rices the same channel as Thai used to be.
Cambodian rices mill in Cambodia and export or access the same Thai channel for the same Thai price, it can allow Cambodian entrepreneurs to earn money the same way as Thai entrepreneurs.
This is a bad deal for Cambodia. As you can see, the current government is not too bright when it comes to making the right decision for the country. How can a small and weak country like us compete with Thai & Viet. Please stop voting for CPP. The cabinet of Hun Sen government must be replaced ASAP. They are too old and incapable of making the right decision that would benefit you as the individual contributor.
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