Agriculture Minister joins crackdown on rubber smuggling

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

AGRICULTURE & COOPERATIVES MINISTER Thammanat Prompao is taking part in government missions to crack down on the smuggling of natural rubber, confirmed deputy government spokesperson Kenika Oonjit yesterday (Dec.6).

The agriculture minister has instructed agencies under his command to join government efforts to eliminate the smuggling of natural rubber, particularly across the border from Myanmar, which has reportedly pushed the domestic rubber prices lower, adversely affecting the farmers nationwide, she said.

Remarkably, she said, a large volume of smuggled rubber has reportedly found its way to certain factories in the provinces, thus largely curtailing quantitative demands for the locally produced rubber.

The Rubber Authority of Thailand has been assigned by the agriculture minister to coordinate with the authorities for planned crackdown measures against rubber smuggling rackets, according to the deputy government spokesperson.

Meanwhile, Kenika said rubber farmers who may grow rubber trees in parcels of land, previously called Sor Por Kor 4-01 and now given land title deeds, may practically use them as collaterals for bank loans.

Each rubber tree grown in a title-deed-endorsed plot of land will be worth no less than 500 baht, she said.

She said Thammanat has also assigned the Rubber Authority of Thailand and Cooperatives Promotion Department to promote the setup of rubber processing cooperatives among the rubber farmers nationwide.

CAPTIONS:

A farmer tapping a rubber tree, above, and latex flowing from a tree, Front Page.

Insert: Agriculture & Cooperatives Minister Thammanat Prompao. All photos: Thai Rath

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