The Cabinet has approved a budget allocation of 5.175 billion baht to assist sugarcane farmers in harvesting fresh cane, aiming to curb PM2.5 pollution, reported Thai Tiger.
Government spokesperson Karam Phonpornklang stated that the Ministry of Industry will oversee the implementation of this initiative, which is focused on encouraging farmers to harvest only high-quality, fresh sugarcane. The initial funding will come from the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC).
The Ministry is also tasked with exploring the use of a government app to distribute payments to farmers, in line with broader efforts to enhance public access to state services.
A long-term plan will also be created to help farmers shift to non-burning harvesting methods in a sustainable way, ensuring that this initiative does not become a recurring financial burden.
BAAC has been asked to update the cost structure for the incentives promoting quality fresh sugarcane harvesting. The 5.175 billion baht (approximately US$158 million) will include compensation for financial expenses at the BAAC’s quarterly financial cost rate plus one percent.
Additionally, the Ministry of Industry and BAAC will collaborate to refine the operational details required for effective coordination among government agencies, according to a report by KhaoSod.
