Bangkok: The Rubber Farmers Federation of Thailand has urgently appealed to the new Minister of Agriculture to address the ongoing crisis in the rubber industry, which is struggling with a significant price downturn. The federation has outlined five immediate demands and has requested a prompt meeting to address these concerns.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Uthai Sonlaksap, President of the Federation of Thai Rubber Planters Association, communicated the urgency of the situation in a letter to Mr. Atthakorn Sirilathayakorn, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives. The crisis is attributed to factors such as the influx of inexpensive imported latex, competition from synthetic alternatives, currency fluctuations, and a sluggish global economy. These challenges are impacting the financial stability of rubber farmers.
The Rubber Farmers Federation of Thailand has presented five critical proposals to the Minister of Agriculture:
1. Cancel Cheap Latex Imports: The federation urges the cancellation of policies permitting the import of low-cost concentrated latex, which they argue undermines domestic prices and could be in violation of the Rubber Control Act B.E. 2542.
2. Reassess Rubber Varieties: It recommends downgrading the RRIM 600 variety due to its low yield and disease susceptibility. Additionally, it calls for government support in adopting high-performance varieties like RRIT 3904 and the use of 'Ethephon Plus 5%' to enhance short-term yield, funded by a 150 million baht subsidy for rubber price stabilization.
3. Soil-Specific Fertilizer Use: The federation requests the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT) to promote fertilizers tailored to specific soil analyses to cut costs, boost production, and mitigate environmental impacts.
4. Update Rubber Standards and Grades: It stresses the need to update rubber standards and grades, which have been pending for over 12 years, to ensure market transparency and fairness for farmers.
5. Fair Enforcement of Rubber Control Law: The federation calls for strict enforcement of Section 23, requiring traders to maintain monthly accounts and disclose advance selling prices to aid farmers in production and distribution planning.
The NRCT also urges the swift appointment of a comprehensive rubber control committee per Section 11 of the Rubber Control Act B.E. 2542 and advocates for a meeting of the Natural Rubber Policy Committee (NRPC) led by the Prime Minister to devise a systematic solution. The association remains open to input from experts or government bodies and is committed to collaborating with the government to sustainably enhance the livelihoods of farmers.