Thailand unveils 1.8 billion-USD support for rice farmers
Support measures include a credit programme to delay the sale of paddy, a loan programme for agricultural institutions to purchase paddy and add value, and an interest compensation programme for rice traders who stockpile paddy.
Thailand’s cabinet has approved three programmes worth more than 60 billion THB (1.84 billion USD) for the 2025-2026 crop to support rice farmers, helping stabilise paddy prices and safeguard long-term livelihoods.
The programmes were proposed by the Ministry of Commerce and the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC).
They consist of a credit programme to delay the sale of paddy, a loan programme for agricultural institutions to purchase paddy and add value, and an interest compensation programme for rice traders who stockpile paddy.
Minister of Jatuporn Buruspat said BAAC will accelerate the implementation of these three measures to meet the growing demand for wet-season rice, especially during November – December 2025, when output will reach 19.70 million tonnes, or about 72% of total output.
He said the measures will help absorb some rice from the market during peak production periods, ease price pressure, and maintain rice price stability so that farmers can sell rice at reasonable prices. This will also help farmers secure a more stable income in the long run./.