Paddy-rice guarantee prices agreed

       The National Rice Policy Committee yesterday decided to guarantee Hom Mali paddy rice at Bt15,300 per tonne and paddy rice at Bt10,000 per tonne.
       The committee, chaired by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, delayed the decision if the guarantee scheme should limit the the volume per household at 20 tonnes or limit the guarantee value at Bt350,000 per household.
       The Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives estimated that the value limit will raise the government's compensation to Bt43 billion from Bt25 billion.
       Commerce Minister Porntiva Nakasai said after the 3-hour meeting that the decision is delayed as output from each area differs. The bank and the Agricultural Economics Office will jointly survey the figures.
       She admitted that if the volume limit is in place, farmers may earn less than the pledging programme and this may lead to problems. However, if the value limit is in place, the compensation will rise sharply.
       She said the issue should be finalised before the price guarantee programme will kick off in October.