Rice Support Program Delivers 36.7 Billion Baht to 4.5 Million Farmers
Thailand's rice support program distributed 36.7 billion baht to 4.5 million farmers during the 2567/68 season, reducing production costs by 12 percent while increasing yields by nearly 17 percent.
Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit revealed an assessment of the 1,000-baht-per-rai rice farming program, confirming that funds reached 4.5 million farming households, reducing costs while boosting yields and strengthening Thailand's rice production.
Minister Suriya explained that the Agriculture Ministry prioritizes supporting rice farmers by ensuring they have adequate working capital, reduced expenses, and efficient production management. The government implemented the program to help farmers cover management and quality improvement costs during the 2567/68 production year, providing up to 1,000 baht per rai, not exceeding 10 rai per household or 10,000 baht total per household.
The evaluation found that 4.515 million farming households—99.98 percent of the target—received support totaling 36.72 billion baht across 36.71 million rai. The program enabled farmers to purchase essential inputs including fertilizer, pesticides, soil preparation materials, and seeds, improving cultivation practices. Production costs fell by an average of 463 baht per rai (12.22 percent), while rice yields increased by an average of 79.29 kilograms per rai (16.85 percent) and production value rose by 1,898.50 baht per rai (38.46 percent).
Overall economic benefits reached approximately 57.47 billion baht—1.57 times the program's investment—though results may have been influenced by other factors such as weather, market prices, and individual farm management. Minister Suriya emphasized that the assessment demonstrates the government's subsidy effectively improved farmer liquidity and production management, and the ministry will use these findings to develop more targeted measures for reducing costs, increasing productivity, and enhancing rice quality.
Peeraphun Kotthong, secretary-general of the Agricultural Economics Office (OAE) and deputy spokesman for the Agriculture Ministry, noted that the OAE and Rice Department evaluated the program by surveying 16,717 sample farming households registered for the 2567/68 season. Results showed that 58.09 percent of farmers reported the program helped increase rice production, expressing the highest satisfaction levels and confirming the program effectively addressed farmer needs and reduced production burden costs.
