Writer: Kultida Samabuddhi
Bangkok Post
Farmers' advocates and academics are taking the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry to task for failing to safeguard Thai farmers from the effects of the Asean Free Trade Area.
Unlike the Commerce Ministry, which had laid down several measures to shield the farm sector from the agreement's impact, the Agriculture Ministry has done nothing to help farmers get ready for trade liberalisation, said Pattamawadee Suzuki, an economics professor at Thammasat University, yesterday.
''The Afta was sealed in 1992, which means that
[agriculture] officials have had up to 17 years to boost Thai farmers' competitiveness, but they have failed to come up with any measures,'' Ms Pattamadhwadee said.
Afta reduced the tariffs on thousands of Asean products to between zero and 5% from Jan 1 this year. As one of the world's major farm goods exporters, Thailand is particularly concerned about the tariff cuts on 23 farm items.
The Commerce Ministry expects half of the 23 farm product to suffer a negative impact from Afta, including garlic, onions, rice, tobacco, maize and palm oil. These impacts range from an influx of cheap produce from neighbouring countries to the mixing of poor-quality imported goods with high-quality farm products produced in Thailand.
''The Afta was sealed in 1992, which means that
[agriculture] officials have had up to 17 years to boost Thai farmers' competitiveness, but they have failed to come up with any measures,'' Ms Pattamadhwadee said.
Afta reduced the tariffs on thousands of Asean products to between zero and 5% from Jan 1 this year. As one of the world's major farm goods exporters, Thailand is particularly concerned about the tariff cuts on 23 farm items.
The Commerce Ministry expects half of the 23 farm product to suffer a negative impact from Afta, including garlic, onions, rice, tobacco, maize and palm oil. These impacts range from an influx of cheap produce from neighbouring countries to the mixing of poor-quality imported goods with high-quality farm products produced in Thailand.
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