Bangkok: 'MP Kantapong' brings 10 kg of lychees to sue the media, criticizing the 'Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce' for letting the price drop from 100 baht to 18 baht in less than a week, slamming them for 'stuck in place and in a terrible state'. Mr. Kantapong Prayurasak, Bangkok MP of the Prachachon Party, held a press conference to address the problem of low prices of Emperor lychees that have caused hardship for orchard owners. He displayed lychees for the parliamentary press to taste and examine, expressing his concern about the drastic drop in prices. He recounted a recent visit to Fang District, Chiang Mai Province, where he witnessed the situation firsthand.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Kantapong showcased lychees to reporters, highlighting that some were almost as large as his hand. Fang District is capable of producing no less than 50,000 tons, with an economic value of 5 billion baht. Orchard owners informed him that the price per kilogram had plummeted from nearly 100 baht last week to 18 baht, with some sizes even falling below 10 baht, failing to cover production costs. He criticized government policies on agricultural products and emphasized the need for change.
Mr. Kantapong outlined three critical issues: inertia within the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the alarming price drop of lychees, and the resulting unsustainable conditions for farmers. He proposed two solutions: ensuring sustainability by aligning fertilizer and processing costs with production costs and establishing a stable middle price for lychees. He stressed the importance of fairness, highlighting disparities in profit margins across the supply chain, which disadvantage farmers while benefiting middlemen.
Mr. Kantapong questioned the lack of fairness in the current system, pointing out that while transportation costs are minimal, market prices remain significantly inflated. He urged the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Agriculture to improve their efforts, advocating for a fairer distribution of profits to support struggling farmers.