Regional rice reserve centre to be proposed

Web Mail

Tự Hào Gentraco

Tue, 22/05/2012 - 6:08 am.

Regional rice reserve centre to be proposed

Agriculture officials are preparing to propose Thailand be made a centre for rice reserves in Southeast Asia during an international meeting in China next week. ''Being the region's top rice producer, we should,'' Pinit Korsieporn, deputy permanent secretary for agriculture, said of the reason behind the move.

A rice reserve panel under the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry has agreed to propose the idea at the Jan 23-25 meeting between the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and economic giants China, Japan, and South Korea.

The scheme is aimed at ensuring ''rice security'' in unexpected situations, including natural disasters.

Thailand also plans to suggest at the meeting a new remedy to countries facing rice shortage problems. Instead of offering help by merely giving rice to them, Mr Pinit said member countries should consider financing their rice production through rice purchase contracts.

Under the project, Asean countries would be required to stock a total of 87,000 tonnes of rice. Thailand will bear a portion of 15,000 tonnes.

Thailand will also propose that rice produced in other countries outside the bloc not be allowed to enter the regional rice storage centre for fear that it might be of low quality.