Surat thani: The government is set to intensify controls over the palm oil market in the southern region during April and May to address an oversupply issue. Mr. Witiyakorn Maneenet, Director-General of the Department of Internal Trade, recently visited the region to assess the situation and collaborated with the Surat Thani Provincial Farmers' Council to devise strategies for managing palm oil purchases during this peak production period.
According to Thai News Agency, the current purchase price for oil palm fruit ranges from 6.50 to 7.70 baht per kilogram, contingent upon the oil percentage, which is deemed appropriate. Nonetheless, continuous monitoring of the production situation is necessary to avert bottlenecks and delays in purchasing.
The Department of Internal Trade is taking proactive measures by coordinating with processing plants to align production capacity with purchasing schedules according to production volume. They have also urged these facilities to plan machinery maintenance well in advance to minimize unexpected shutdowns that could adversely impact farmers.
Additionally, there is an ongoing development of an application designed to provide farmers with information on production capacity, maintenance shutdown plans, and purchasing points. This tool aims to help farmers effectively plan their sales, alleviate congestion, and ensure vigilant oversight of the purchasing process. Such efforts are intended to maintain price stability and ensure fairness for the farming community.