Bangkok: Minister of Commerce orders strict measures on cassava imports from Cambodia to protect Thai farmers and maintain price stability. Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan has ordered the Department of Foreign Trade to tighten controls on cassava imports from Cambodia after finding tensions in border trade, reiterating the government's position to protect Thai farmers and maintain domestic price stability as a top priority.
According to Thai News Agency, the Minister of Commerce revealed that he has ordered the Department of Foreign Trade, which is the agency overseeing cassava imports, to increase strictness in inspecting cassava imports via the Thai-Cambodian border to prevent low-quality products from flooding into the domestic market, which could affect the current cassava prices that Thai farmers receive.
The Ministry of Commerce has set measures to control the import of cassava by specifying five provinces and six checkpoints where cassava from Cambodia is permitted: Ban Pakkat Permanent Border Checkpoint in Chanthaburi Province; Ban Khao Din Permanent Border Checkpoint and Ban Ta Phraya Relaxation Checkpoint in Sa Kaeo Province; Khlong Yai Customs Checkpoint in Trat Province; Chong Chom Customs Checkpoint in Surin Province; and Chong Sangam Customs Checkpoint in Si Sa Ket Province.
It also requires importers to register, report import information in advance, and have a storage area separate from the cassava purchased domestically, and continuously report information to relevant agencies. Mr. Pichai said that he has also ordered more officers from the Department of Foreign Trade to go to all six checkpoints to randomly inspect the standards of imported cassava. If it is found that it does not meet the specified criteria, the import registration will be suspended immediately until the quality is improved to meet the standards.
In addition, the Department of Internal Trade has measures to control the movement of fresh cassava and cassava pulp, prohibiting the movement of such goods in quantities of 10,000 kilograms or more into or out of the controlled areas of 60 districts in 16 provinces, unless permitted. Violators are subject to imprisonment not exceeding five years, a fine not exceeding 100,000 baht, or both.
Mr. Pichai added that even though it is now the end of the cassava production season in both Thailand and Cambodia, the Ministry of Commerce still insists on strictly supervising imports continuously in order not to affect the price of Thai farmers' products, and to raise the quality and standards of Thai cassava to be able to compete sustainably in the world market.