Supachee Receives Farmers' Association Proposals, Moving Forward with Integrated Rice Crisis Solution

Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Supachee Panitchpakdi chaired the 2026 annual meeting of the Thai Farmers and Agricultural Association in Ayutthaya province on April 26, with over 200 farmers representatives from 57 provinces attending at The Cavalli Casa Resort. The gathering aimed to present agricultural sector concerns and proposals to inform government policy decisions that address real-world conditions.

Supachee stated that the agricultural sector, particularly rice production, faces compounding crises including global economic conditions, geopolitical volatility, rising energy costs, and climate uncertainty causing droughts and heavy rains. These challenges impact farmer productivity and income, representing a global crisis rather than a Thailand-specific problem.

She emphasized that solving these issues requires integrated collaboration among government agencies, the agricultural sector, and related organizations. The Commerce Ministry, as the downstream sector, must work with the Agriculture Ministry handling upstream operations and the industrial sector in the middle to ensure system-wide efficiency.

Supachee received proposals from the farmers' association including six urgent measures and five long-term strategies addressing structural agricultural problems. While some can be implemented immediately, all proposals will be coordinated with the cabinet for prompt concrete results.

Regarding upstream development, the government prioritizes improving rice varieties for higher yields. Current Thai rice productivity averages 400-700 kilograms per rai compared to competitor nations achieving 1,500 kilograms per rai. The government will accelerate seed development while improving soil and fertilizer management through cooperation with agricultural science and land development departments to help farmers reduce costs and boost long-term productivity.

Additionally, the government will coordinate assistance measures for energy and transportation costs, which burden farmers significantly.

For the middle sector, the government focuses on adding rice value through processing and product development. The National Rice Policy and Management Committee has approved support for over 200 communities to access machinery including rice mills, dryers, and vacuum packaging equipment, while developing brands and marketing. Processing extends beyond converting paddy rice to milled rice, incorporating high-value products in food, pharmaceuticals, and byproducts. Processing also extends sales periods, allowing farmers to avoid selling during price downturns and better manage income.

The Commerce Ministry's "market-leading purchase" policy has developed database systems like the rice dashboard to track real-time supply and demand across regions, improving production and marketing planning.