Wednesday, April 11, 2007

AGRICULTURE / RUBBER SAPLING PROJECT

Farmers hit by delays file a court complaint

PIYAPORN WONGRUANG

Around 1,700 northeastern farmers affected by a delay in the 1.44-billion-baht rubber sapling distribution project yesterday jointly filed a complaint with the Central Administrative Court. They accuse the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry and the Agriculture Department of negligence of duty.

They also asked the court to provide mitigation measures against possible damage their farms might suffer.

An administrative court official said it would consider within two weeks whether to proceed with the case.

Farmers' representative Kemtis Wintachai said the farmers, mostly from Nakhon Phanom and Roi Et, had already prepared their farmlands for rubber plantations, but so far they had not received any saplings from the department.

They had no idea how long they would have to wait for the saplings and who will be responsible for the financial burdens from their initial investments, he said.

''We told the agencies about our problem and they have promised to take care of the matter, but so far we have seen no progress while our debts are increasing. So we decided to turn to seek help from the court,'' said Mr Kemtis.

Problems with the sapling distribution project, initiated by the deposed Thaksin Shinawatra government, have continued now for a few months after the department decided not to extend Charoen Pokphand Seeds' contract, which ended last year.

The firm won the 1.44-billion-baht contract to produce 90 million rubber saplings from 2004 to 2006, but did not deliver the last batch of 16 million saplings last year.

It was also accused by the Assets Scrutiny Committee of conspiring with other firms in order to win the contract.

As a result, about 30,000 farmers on the waiting list missed out on getting the saplings. The department tried to fix the problem by seeking the cabinet's approval for 240 million baht to buy rubber saplings from other nurseries for farmers.

The department was to issue coupons which the farmers will be able to exchange for saplings at any nurseries.

But it has not yet received the budget, causing the delay in sapling distribution.

Paitoon Somkeo, of the Local Development Institute, said the project reflects the state's failure to find appropriate agricultural projects for farmers. That was why the ministry and the department had encountered endless problems.

Bangkok Post

Last Updated : Wednesday April 11, 2007

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