Thailand's GDP in agriculture keeps growing despite floods

BANGKOK, September 14 (TNA) - Thailand's gross domestic product (GDP) in the agricultural sector has kept growing over the past year despite a massive flooding late last year, with the GDP in the farm sector foreseen to further expand by 4.3 per cent this year. Thai Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Theera Wongsamut reported the prospect and the potential of the Thai farm sector on Thursday, pointing out that the country's agriculture production index had risen to 108.52 per cent on average during the first seven months of this year, a 4.07 per cent year-on-year increase. Expressing his satisfaction with the continual growth of the Thai farm sector, Theera insisted that he foresees the country's GDP in the agricultural sector should further expand by 4.3 per cent on average in 2012. The minister acknowledged that, over the past year, his ministry has carried out water management in an integral manner, lifted local farm products prices, as well as handled an agricultural economic restructuring and land reform and provided assistance to local farmers affected by a drop in their farm produce prices. Meanwhile, the agriculture and cooperatives minister told reporters that he has been reported by his ministry's Royal Irrigation Department that the amount of rainwater this year is likely to be lower than that of last year.(TNA)