Bangkok (VNA) - At least 2.6 billion baht (86.6 million USD) must be addedto the subsidy scheme for rice farmers after the number of participants getshigher than expected, according to the Bank for Agriculture and AgriculturalCooperatives of Thailand (BAAC).
BAACPresident Apirom Sukprasert said the number of farming households signing upfor the scheme exceeds the target by 90,000, totalling 4.4 million, so anadditional 2.6-billion-baht budget is required.
Evenmore funds could eventually be sought because some farmers in southern areashave yet to register, he said.
Typically,rice in the south is harvested a few months later than in other regions.
Thegovernment's farm aid measures include price guarantees for certain crops.
Earlier,officials budgeted 24.8 billion baht for subsidies in the 2018-2019 crop seasonthat started last November, aimed at 4.31 rice farming families who delayedpaddy sales to stabilise prices./.