Supachai revealed that in her two months in office, she has raised rice prices from the lowest to the highest in the global market. She aims to increase farmers' income by encouraging cultivation of higher-value crops and having the government find markets for them.
On 13 Jan 2026 GMT+7, Ms. Supachai Suthumpun, Minister of Commerce, explained her approach to developing farmers: 30% of the country's labor force works in agriculture but contributes only about 6% to GDP. This imbalance shows the need to improve farmers' income by growing crops that the market demands, with government support to find markets. Emphasizing higher-value crops will increase farmers' earnings.
Ms. Supachai added that during the past two months, she has focused heavily on rice matters, negotiating sales of 500,000 tons to China and 100,000 tons to Singapore. They plan to continue this approach, as increased market demand for specific crops will raise their prices.
"When I took office, Thai rice prices were the lowest globally compared to other countries, but now they have become the highest. We must strive to sustain this level. Some areas might say current rice prices are high, but farmers who sold earlier did not benefit. Our goal is to maintain stable prices so that when the next harvest season arrives, farmers will fully benefit," Supachai said.