Preparations made before buying rubber starts

SURAT THANI, Jan 24 (TNA) -- Authorities in two southern provinces on Sunday made final preparations, one day before the government starts buying rubber from growers, aimed at assisting planters who are suffering from heavy losses following a dwindling in world natural rubber prices. Surat Thani deputy governor Vichawut Jinto inspected areas where officials would purchase 100,000 tonnes of rubber directly from growers. Rubber growers can sell rubber at 10 kilogrammes per rai with the maximum of 15 rai in seven districts of the province. On Sunday, a number of rubber growers have sold rubber latex at 36 baht per kilogramme, more than 10 baht per kilogramme from earlier this month. However, growers complained that the price of rubber latex and rubber sheet ought to be 60 baht per kilogramme. The government of Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-ocha has pledged earlier this month to buy rubber at 45 baht per kilogramme directly from growers aimed at helping them to earn more income. Simultaneously, officials of the Office of the Rubber Replanting Aid Fund in Satun province held a meeting with representatives of rubber purchase cooperatives and small buyers on how government agencies would utilise rubber after buying. The government will buy rubber from growers who have registered themselves with the Rubber Authority of Thailand from January 25 to June 30. (TNA)