BANGKOK, 10th February 2018 (NNT) – The Ministry of Commerce said today it is unnecessary for farmers to accelerate the production of rice despite the increasing prices.

Deputy Commerce Minister, Chutima Bunyapraphasara stated that prices of Thai rice have risen significantly especially Hom Mali rice which is now sold at 17,000 baht a ton.

The increase in rice prices can be attributed to a lower supply, following recent natural disasters which destroyed millions of rai of rice fields.

She advised that rice farmers shouldn't speed up their production at the moment, because doing so would only drive the prices down.

Chutima expects the output of this year’s off-season rice production to be between 6 and 7 million tons, the same quantity as last year.

The ministry is poised to promote a new rice strain known as Gor Kor 43. Mahidol University has recently discovered that the new rice strain has a lower glycaemic index than other rice, which means once digested it releases its energy slowly and keeps blood sugar levels more stable.

National News Bureau Of Thailand | Commerce Min advises rice farmers not to speed up production