Bangkok: Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thammanat, has directed senior officials to closely monitor fertilizer and agricultural input prices due to concerns over potential impacts from the Middle East situation.
According to Thai News Agency, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Captain Thamanat Phromphao, emphasized the need for vigilance over these essential commodities as tensions in the Middle East could affect agricultural production costs.
Captain Thamanat, who also serves as Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Kla Tham Party, addressed the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, highlighting measures to manage fertilizer and input prices. He has instructed the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry and the Director-General of the Department of Agriculture to assess the potential impact on farmers and devise appropriate strategies.
The Ministry will maintain continuous oversight of the situation, considering that prices of fertilizers and production inputs are influenced by energy costs, raw materials, and transportation, which could be disrupted by international unrest.
On a related note, when questioned about reports suggesting that the Kla Tham Party has agreed to join the government, Captain Thamanat stated that he became aware of the news through media channels.