The Deputy Minister of Agriculture is tackling the surplus milk market issue by ordering a revision of the school milk allocation criteria, aiming to clear leftover stock within one month.
On 1 May 2026, Mr. Watcharapol Khawkhum, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, chaired a meeting with the Dairy Cooperatives Association of Thailand to discuss the allocation of school milk quotas. The discussion focused on two main issues: the unfairness in quota distribution and the problem of large surplus milk stock negatively impacting farmers' incomes.
Mr. Watcharapol stated that an urgent measure underway is preparing a proposal for the Cabinet to extend school milk consumption up to grade 9. This extension will increase the use of milk products within the system and directly alleviate farmers' difficulties. The goal is to see progress within 30 days.
Beyond policy efforts, Mr. Watcharapol announced an aggressive plan to manage surplus milk stock. The short-term objective is to achieve tangible results in clearing stock within 30 days. He is engaging partners to purchase milk by urgently negotiating with government funds, state enterprises, and private sectors to help buy milk for distribution to vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and people with disabilities. He also promised to improve allocation criteria to be more inclusive and fair to all cooperatives.
“Regarding the large amount of leftover milk stock, I am targeting visible results within 30 days. We are urgently negotiating with multiple agencies simultaneously to resolve this issue for farmers as quickly as possible,” Mr. Watcharapol concluded.