AN aftermath of the Thailand’s pledging scheme for the local rubber industry has left tonnes of raw rubber decaying in warehouses.
An estimated 10,000 tonnes of rubber were found decaying in warehouses located in Bung Kan, Udon Thani and Si Sa Ket provinces, under the government’s buying scheme to stabilise rubber prices in over 56 provinces across Thailand.
The bulk of abandoned raw rubber, assessed to be worth THB1 billion was found during inspections led by Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Yuthapong Charassat.
According to the minister, the Si Sa Ket warehouse revealed the biggest loss , where up to five million kilogrammes of rubber was left to rot, resulting in an estimated loss of THB530 million.
Yuthapong said the rubber had been left in the state-run facility for about eight months, adding that similar cases may be found in several other provinces.
The spoiled rubber will be sent to private factories to be processed into rubber blocks and stored.
A fact-finding panel will be set up to investigate on the matter. The case will be forwarded to the Department of Special Investigation for legal action against erring entity, he said.
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