Bill on contract farming reform gets initial NLA approval
The National Legislative Assembly on November 10 overwhelmingly backed the first draft of a proposed bill that would legalise contract farming. Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister General Chatchai Sarikulya said the bill would protect farmers against conglomerates and ensure fairness in contract farming, which would improve the country’s economy in the long term. However, some NLA members pointed out that the bill still had legal gaps that would need to be addressed before it is forwarded to the Cabinet. “Right now contract farming is widespread … and if we support contract farming with a law to |regulate the system to have more fairness and align with international standards, it will increase our potential, make our agriculture more sustainable and give farmers financial stability,” Chatchai said. “This bill will protect farmers from unfair contracts and help them to gain more negotiating power over agricultural conglomerates.”
