Thailand Targets 5% Growth In Farmer Income Over Next Year
Thailand's Agriculture Ministry aims to increase farmer incomes by at least 5% within a year through innovation programs, improved water management, and expanded export markets, while addressing climate challenges and reducing production co
Agriculture Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit announced the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives' 99-day performance report and outlined goals to boost Thai farmer incomes by at least 5 percent within one year. Joined by Deputy Agriculture Ministers Watcharapol Khaokhom and Piyarat Tiyapairat, Suriya outlined efforts to help farmers face climate crises from the super El Niño phenomenon, low crop prices, high production costs, illegal agricultural imports, and global trade barriers.
Over the past 99 days, the ministry has promoted upgrading Thai rice through innovation and sustainability by distributing high-yield rice varieties to farmers and encouraging alternating wet-dry farming methods to cut costs and water use. A low-carbon rice pilot program across 25 provinces covering 100,000 rai has reduced production costs by 24 percent and increased yields by 10 percent, with plans to expand to 500,000 rai by 2027.
The ministry has also integrated water management efforts across irrigation, land development, and royal rainmaking departments, opening 12 royal rainmaking operations covering 59 provinces to mitigate flooding and drought affecting over 2.5 million rai of agricultural land. A central command center has pursued 146 legal cases against illegal agricultural goods, seizing over 26 tons of frozen meat, while fresh durian exports exceeded 100,000 million baht in the first half of the year. The ministry is expanding fresh fruit markets in New Zealand, Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan, and China, and is negotiating with Malaysia to resume Thai shrimp exports within 30 days.
The ministry has also streamlined regulations by amending nine outdated rules and reducing approval time from 14 days to one day. It is upgrading land rights documents into agricultural titles for use as collateral, partnering with the Agricultural Bank to suspend debt for 8,858 farmers totaling 940 million baht, and reducing cooperative member debt by over 9,300 million baht. Minister Suriya emphasized that global food security must begin with the security of Thai farmers, stating that the past 99 days mark only the beginning of change as the ministry commits to improving farmer quality of life, boosting agricultural competitiveness, and ensuring long-term food security for Thailand.
