Captain Thamanat Prompow, the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, yesterday introduced a crackdown towards the smuggling of agricultural merchandise into Thailand. The illicit exercise, Thamanat factors out, has led to a decrease in the value of regionally produced items, negatively affecting the livelihood of local farmers.
The widespread agricultural smuggling of frozen pig carcasses, in particular, has been detrimental to the native pig farmers, as these unlawful imports have flooded the local pork market, leading to a significant drop in pork costs. The minister emphasised the urgency of implementing sturdy measures to fight this issue, which has exacerbated the already dire situation of low farm product prices.
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI), in collaboration with the Customs Department, is deliberating over the confiscated smuggled frozen pig carcasses, found in 161 cargo containers at Laem Chabang Port. Clear -general, Police Major Suriya Singhakamol, stated that the seized carcasses are more doubtless to be transported from the port and buried within the Khlong Hat district of Sa Kaeo province between September 25 to 29. The chosen burial site is conveniently situated near Sa Kaeo’s animal feed analysis and improvement centre and within a brief distance from the port.
Furthermore, a particular investigation group, arrange particularly for this agricultural smuggling case, has summoned witnesses for interrogation. According to Suriya, these witnesses include representatives from the 19 freight corporations that have been contracted to ship the illicit pig carcasses into Thailand. Additionally, 11 delivery firms, discovered to be concerned in the illegal cargo of these products, have been raided.
In response to criticism of the government’s new agricultural policies, Captain Thamanat reassured that a clearer understanding will emerge once detailed operation plans are drafted, full with budgetary planning.
Critics have voiced considerations that the agricultural policies presented to Parliament are vague and will not successfully handle the first issues plaguing the farming sector. Thamanat confirmed that each ministry will begin drafting detailed plans for implementation over the following 4 years to curb agricultural smuggling, reported Bangkok Post.
The minister yesterday received a written proposal from the Community Rice Centre Association (Thailand) offering solutions to deal with the high manufacturing costs and low product costs within the sector. The affiliation highlighted that the agricultural sector’s competitiveness is at its lowest point in twenty years, primarily because of high production costs and lower product yields compared to different nations.
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