Bangkok: The Ministry of Industry kicked off the first payment of 3.8 billion baht to 77,044 sugarcane farmers who harvested fresh sugarcane, marking the highest harvest in Thai history. The Ministry is also promoting green sugar to increase its value.

According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Ekanat Promphan, Minister of Industry, presided over the kickoff ceremony for a program to help sugarcane farmers harvest high-quality fresh sugarcane and reduce PM 2.5 dust during the 2024-2025 production season. The first round of assistance, totaling 3.8 billion baht, at a rate of 69 baht per tonne, will be paid to 77,044 farmers on July 31, 2025.

For sugarcane farmers eligible to receive the money, those with valid account numbers at the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives are ready to receive the transfer and must complete the following additional steps: 1. You must apply and verify your identity via the government application. If you are unable to apply, you can use your national ID card to verify your identity through four channels: Thai Post counters, Lotus's, Big C, and 7-Eleven counters (for those who have not yet done so).

You must bring your national ID card to verify your identity at the sugarcane farmer registration office and sugarcane and sugar management zones 1-8.

You must register for membership in the Ministry of Industry's Customer Registration System (I - Industry). If you have not completed the details in items 1-3, you will not receive the money according to the conditions. Therefore, we ask that you urgently inform the sugarcane farmers who are contract farmers who are eligible to receive assistance according to the conditions.

Mr. Ekanat stated that last year, sugarcane burning was reduced by more than 1 million rai before harvesting, reducing the amount of sugarcane fields burned to just 14%. This year will be the highest year of fresh sugarcane cutting in Thai history. When farmers perform well, we must reward them with a 69 baht per tonne reward. Today, the first payment is being made, which will take approximately 2-3 payment cycles, with one payment every 1-2 weeks. Therefore, farmers who have not yet received payment must wait and register via a government application, focusing on 100% fresh sugarcane cutting. He stated that he will promote sugarcane based on the value of sugarcane leaves, which are a source of PM 2.5. From now on, sugarcane leaves will be used to generate electricity, and the proceeds from electricity sales will be given to farmers. In 2026, we will set a precedent: regardless of fluctuating sugarcane prices, we will have a green sugar project produced from unburned sugarcane, with special pricing. Furthermo re, sugarcane leaves will be used as biofuel and bioplastics.