Focus on flood-hit food costs

Officials are watching for large price hikes

The Commerce Ministry is monitoring the price movements of agricultural products as floods continue to pummel several provinces in Thailand.

Wattanasak Sur-iam, director-general of the Internal Trade Department, said flooding in several provinces has reduced supply, resulting in price increases for vegetables this week compared with last week.

The market price for hom mali paddy rice is about 16,050 baht per tonne, while white paddy rice is 11,300 baht per tonne and sticky paddy rice is 13,900 baht per tonne.

The price of tapioca is now quoted at 2.95 baht per kilogramme, maize (with a moisture level of 14.5%) at 11.40 baht per kg, and oil palm at 6.50 baht per kg.

For meat, prices remain stable, with pork priced at 137.44 baht per kg, while the average price of chicken eggs (size 3) is 4.23 baht per egg, similar to last week.

Prices are also stable for aquatic animals, including tilapia, pla thapthim (ruby tilapia), catfish, and white shrimp (70 pieces per kg) at 187 baht per kg.

Mr Wattanasak said this is a golden year for Thai fruit because of stable, high prices compared with last year.

He said durian and mangosteen were recently harvested in the South, with longkong expected to enter the market next month.

Longkong production is expected to total 40,000 tonnes this year, down by 30-40% from last year, as more farmers planted durian instead, said Mr Wattanasak.

Goranij Nonejuie, deputy director-general of the department, said it is monitoring the price of fresh vegetables at both wholesale and retail levels in the central and regional areas.

He said the prices of several vegetables rose sharply after weeks of flooding affected crops in the northern region following heavy rainfall since July.

“Bok choy, cabbage, coriander and spring onion are among the items that will see price hikes,” said Mr Goranij.

After monitoring vegetable sales in major agricultural markets such as Talat Thai, Talat Si Mum Mueang and Talat Sri Mueang, the department found vegetables continue to enter the market, though there are reduced amounts as a result of farms being devastated by floods, he said.

However, vegetable supply is ample as markets source from other areas not affected by flooding, in particular the lower central region, said Mr Goranij.

To ease the cost of living for people, the department is linking with central markets as well as wholesale and retail markets in each region to sell low-priced agricultural products.

The goods are available via 100 mobile units in Bangkok and open sales points in community areas and housing developments in Bangkok and surrounding provinces, he said.

The department ordered provincial commercial offices nationwide to monitor the supply and price of vegetables, with the autonomy to link with production sources in case of supply shortages or high prices.