Latest news with #Jatuporn
Bangkok Post
2 days ago
- Business
- Bangkok Post
Thai commerce ministry eager to boost price, exports of agricultural products
The Thai Ministry of Commerce is trying to boost prices and exports of rice and langon, along with more measures to support famers, commerce minister Jatuporn Buruspat said on Monday. The production of in-season rice is scheduled to be completed in November and December. The Ministry of Agriculture has been informed by MP Praphat Pothasuthon of Suphan Buri's Constituency 5 about falling rice prices and the struggles faced by farmers since July 9, said Mr Jatuporn. 'Rice is a major agricultural product of Thailand, and we are committed to solving these problems by cooperating with relevant agencies at all levels,' Mr Jatuporn said. He emphasised long-term relief measures for farmers and efforts to expand export markets. At present, the price of unhusked rice with 15% moisture content ranges from 6,400 to 7,400 baht per tonne. For rice with 25% moisture, the price ranges from 5,200 to 6,200 baht per tonne. Glutinous rice is priced between 10,000 and 11,000 baht per tonne, while jasmine rice with 15% moisture is selling for 15,500 to 16,300 baht per tonne. Total rice production for the 2025/26 season is expected to reach 35.28 million tonnes of paddy, an increase of 5.41% compared to the previous season. From January to May, Thailand recorded rice exports of 3.05 million tonnes worth US$1.8 billion — a 25.6% decrease from 2024, when exports were valued at US$2.6 billion. Speaking during a visit to farmers in Chiang Mai on Sunday, Mr Jatuporn said the ministry is working to export 65,000 tonnes of longans, including processed products. A business matching event was held and generated around 200 million baht in sales. In addition, longan farmers in Lamphun have already secured an unlimited export quota for Indonesia, with plans to expand into markets such as India and the United Arab Emirates, Mr Jatuporn added. For the domestic market, the ministry is collaborating with PTT Public Company, Siam Commercial Bank (SCB), and other agencies to open more sales outlets during the harvest season, which runs from July to August. Activities include the organisation of the Thai Fruit Festival. Mr Jatuporn said one of the key issues raised by fruit farmers was a shortage of labour. They also called on the government to support the development of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) standards to boost export efficiency, including packaging for online deliveries.
Bangkok Post
02-07-2025
- Business
- Bangkok Post
Veteran bureaucrat ready to lead Commerce Ministry
Jatuporn Buruspat, a former permanent secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, has resigned from his civil service post to assume the position of minister of commerce in the Pheu Thai-led government. On his final day at the ministry, hundreds of officials from various departments gathered to bid farewell to the long-serving technocrat. Many held flowers and garlands, offering their best wishes as Mr Jatuporn departed the ministry compound. They shouted 'We love you' while marine‑patrol officers formed an impromptu honour guard as his car left. Mr Jatuporn, 60, told reporters he felt no pressure in switching to another ministry because 'everything I have done is for the people's benefit'. His immediate priority, he said, is to tackle depressed crop prices, beginning with a field visit to Nakhon Si Thammarat province tomorrow to address the rock‑bottom prices of local fruit. 'We cannot lose more time,' he said. 'The work must move quickly and correctly.' Appointed permanent secretary for natural resources in 2019, Mr Jatuporn previously headed almost every key agency under the ministry, including the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), the Royal Forest Department, the Department of Water Resources and the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR). Though his civil service term was due to end in October, he opted to resign early to enter politics with the fledgling New Opportunity Party, stunning pundits when he vaulted straight into a Grade‑A cabinet post under the administration of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was suspended from duty this week. Analysts note the party's rumoured ties to a major energy conglomerate, although it currently holds no parliamentary seats. New Opportunity is led by Deputy Commerce Minister Suchart Chomklin, who claims to have the support of about 20 MPs of the 36-MP United Thai Nation party, with which he has been at odds for some time. Mr Jatuporn holds bachelor's and master's degrees in political science from Chulalongkorn University and another master's in forest and environmental resource management from Kasetsart University. He has also held positions on the boards of state agencies, including the Forest Industry Organisation, the Highland Research and Development Institute, the Bioeconomy Development Office and the Greenhouse Gas Management Organisation. In addition, he served as chairman of the corporate governance and sustainability committee at the state majority-owned oil and gas company PTT. His departure sets off a scramble for succession in the top post at the natural resources ministry. Four department heads are tipped as contenders for the post: Attapon Charoenchansa of the DNP, Pinsak Suraswadi from the DMCR, Bhadol Thavornkitcharat from the Department of Groundwater Resources, and Phirun Saiyasitpanich from the Department of Climate Change and Environment. Outsiders, however, point to Raweewan Bhuridej, secretary‑general of the National Land Policy Board and former chief of the environmental planning office, as a dark‑horse candidate. The cabinet reshuffle marks Mr Jatuporn's formal entry into national politics, with expectations that his bureaucratic experience will play a key role in guiding the Ministry of Commerce through pressing economic challenges.
