Coconut import control to be proposed soon

BANGKOK, Oct 26 (TNA) -- The Commerce Ministry will propose measures to control the import of coconuts to the cabinet soon to help increase the price of local coconuts, the commerce minister said. Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong said the ministry’s committee on the prices of products and services resolved to include coconuts in its list of controlled goods and coconut import would be permitted only at the Bangkok Port and the Laem Chabang Port. Besides, authorities will try to prevent coconut smuggling at Sadao, Satun, Sungai Kolok, Surat Thani and Chumphon border crossings. Coconut transport there will be limited at 7 tons for coconuts, 2.5 tons for fresh coconut meat and 1.5 tons for dried coconut meat. Violators will be liable to a jail term of up to five years and a fine of up to 100,000 baht. The measures would take effect for seven months and should help raise the local coconut price, Mr Sontirat said. Reports about the government’s plan to regulate coconut supply already raised the price from 4 baht to 5-6 baht per coconut, he said. Amnat Maneedaeng, representative of coconut growers in Chumphon province, said the measures would be effective and the government should also suspend coconut imports under agreements related to the ASEAN Free Trade Area and the World Trade Organization (WTO). (TNA)