The initiative seeks to help farmers bypass traders who often demand high margins.
“We have asked entrepreneurs that provide food to their workers as part of their welfare to consider buying rice directly from farmers,” Labour Protection and Welfare Department director-general Sumet Mahosot said yesterday.
He said purchase orders for rice via the Labour Ministry had already exceeded 220 tonnes as a result.
Today, farmers from Phayao and Si Sa Ket provinces will hand over the first batch of 45.4 tonnes of rice for distribution to various enterprises in Rayong, Chon Buri, Ayutthaya and Samut Prakan provinces. Sumet added that upon a request from his department, many entrepreneurs had agreed to allow the sale of rice to workers at their facilities.
“We can already set up 15 such points of sale,” he said.
The programme have been made under Labour Minister General Sirichai Dithakul’s “From Farmers to Workers” project, Sumet said.
He also urged employers to contact his department or its branches if they are interested in buying rice directly from farmers.
Thailand is a major rice producer, with a capacity to produce 30 million tonnes of rice each year.
Of the amount, 7 million tonnes are for domestic household consumers and 10 million tonnes is for domestic industries. The rest must be exported to avoid depressing domestic market prices.
This year, rice prices are falling so low in Thailand that several organisations have come forward to help farmers.
In Nakhon Ratchasima province, agricultural officers has organised a rice market at the square surrounding Thao Suranari Statue every weekend so farmers can sell their produce directly to end consumers. More than 15 tonnes of rice have already been sold via the market, which was established last month.
In Uttaradit province, schools and government agencies have also bought rice directly from farmers.
Uttaradit Daruni School is one of the buyers, buying the staple grain to prepare lunches for more than 3,500 students.
In Angthong province, 10 soldiers helped Somporn Klinchan, a 45-year-old farmer, harvest her flood-threatened rice crop.
Another farmer has also helped her by buying rice from her, after she was unable to sell it to rice mills.
“I can use this rice for my fish in ponds,” the second farmer, Somchai Yimlamai, said. “With His Majesty as my guiding light, I also intend to help others where I can. That’s why I’ve bought rice from her.”