Thailand is considering a three-month import ban on coconuts to shore up local prices. The measure was approved on Tuesday, to come into effect between August and October, said Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak. It will be tabled for cabinet approval soon.
Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong added that the measure came from discussions with all parties: "The price slump this year is the result of increased imports over the past 2-3 years following a plague. Now that the problem was addressed, the measure is necessary to keep a market balance.”
Coconut farmers do not agree, thinking the measure will do little to help them now because it was long overdue. Amnat Meedang, the representative of coconut farmers on the board, said he was preparing to take legal action against Mr Sontirat for negligence when he failed to take care of the farmers.
Mr Amnat claimed his group had sent a letter to the board, informing it there was no local shortage, at its September 2017 meeting. But Mr Sontirat had since approved imports of another 500 million fruit, all of which have been delivered. In addition, the minister approved imports of another 50,000 tons or 50 million litres of fresh coconut milk.
According to bangkokpost.com, Mr Amnat ended with saying that "An import ban now is therefore useless because companies have already filled their import quotas."
