The Commerce Ministry plans to seek cabinet endorsement to ban the import of maize from fields that are burned following the harvest, according to a government spokesman.
Deputy government spokesman Anukul Prueksanusak said on Sunday that a meeting of representatives of the Department of Foreign Trade under the Commerce Ministry and organisations from the government and private sector agreed in principle to ban such imports to reduce the problem of transnational smog.
Regarding the measures, importers must have certificates from competent authorities in the exporting countries to guarantee the corn comes from fields that are not burned after harvesting, Mr Anukul said. Importers must also clear maps showing the locations of the maize fields.
Thailand produces four to five million tonnes of maize yearly while its annual maize demand stands at eight to nine million tonnes, he added.
Thailand imported 2 million tonnes of maize from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar last year, he said. Myanmar contributed 87% of the imports, followed by Laos (12.61%) and Cambodia (0.39%).
The Department of Foreign Trade will list the maize exporters that do not resort to field burning and inform the neighbouring countries of the planned ban.
EMBED:
