Chachoengsao: “Athakorn” thanks the government for providing additional budget to the Ministry of Agriculture, praises the budget drafters for daring to think and act, asks that the budget be used wisely for farmers.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Atthakorn Sirilatthayakorn, Chachoengsao MP from the Kla Tham Party, praised the government’s decision to allocate an increased budget to the Ministry of Agriculture during a debate on the draft of the 2026 Budget Expenditure Act. The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives received 133,177 million baht, marking an increase of 7,819 million baht from the previous year. Mr. Atthakorn expressed gratitude for this allocation, emphasizing its potential impact on over 30 million people in the agricultural sector. He stressed that the future of farmers’ livelihoods hinges on the effective utilization of this budget.
Mr. Atthakorn highlighted that the budget documents reveal a strategic focus by the Ministry on the 2-dimensional national strategy, with a substantial investment of 36,747 million baht aimed at enhancing competitiveness. This includes promoting local identity agriculture, high-value and organic agriculture, and improving the quality and standards of agricultural products. Additionally, the Ministry has outlined an investment plan of approximately 83,000 million baht dedicated to water resource management, which has contributed to a 9.45 percent increase in the Ministry’s investment budget.
The Ministry of Agriculture is also set to allocate at least 2,900 million baht towards developing resilient plant varieties with higher yields. This involves initiatives such as rice seed production through community centers and the promotion of high-value agricultural products with market demand. Efforts will also be made to address the export challenges of fresh durian and increase food security by boosting domestic production of animal feed corn.
Reflecting on past achievements, Mr. Atthakorn noted the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to curb illegal imports of agricultural products under the leadership of Lt. Col. Thammanat Prompao and Mrs. Narumon Pinyosinwat. Recent successes include thwarting avocado smuggling, which helps stabilize agricultural product prices. The Ministry also focuses on providing agricultural land for farmers, implementing policies that allow trees to be used as financial assets.
Mr. Atthakorn concluded by affirming the Ministry’s commitment to addressing farmers’ needs through wise budget allocation, commending the organizers for their bold approach and urging the Ministry’s executives and civil servants to utilize the budget judiciously for the benefit of farmers.