Coconut Farmers Deny Government Aid, Demand Truthfulness
Coconut farmers in Prachuap Khiri Khan denied receiving promised government aid, rejecting the commerce minister's claims as disconnected from reality where prices remain severely depressed at 6 baht per fruit.
On July 11, the Prachuap Khiri Khan Coconut Farmers Network Committee held a press conference to counter Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Supachee Suthammaphand's comments made during a "News Workers Off-Screen" interview regarding efforts to address the coconut price crisis.
Pongsakdi Butrak, coordinator of the Prachuap Khiri Khan Coconut Farmers Network, clarified on behalf of coconut growers that farmers have received no government assistance whatsoever. Large coconut prices remain at 6 baht per fruit and coconut milk at 10 baht per kilogram. He stated the minister's claim of providing aid contradicts reality and invited anyone to verify this with local farmers. He expressed disappointment with the minister's statements, calling for honest communication with the public and genuine problem-solving rather than rhetoric designed to dismiss concerns.
The network also disputed claims that the coconut situation is improving, stating that only more flowering is occurring, not price improvement. Approximately 10 million coconuts currently remain backlogged in the system. They also criticized the proposed government purchase of 5 million coconuts outside the system as impractical and potentially benefiting coconut processing factories that can buy at cheaper prices, rather than helping farmers.
