BANGKOK, Dec 1 (TNA) – Oil palm growers will let the government limit the diesel formula to B7 for four months only and afterwards three formulas of diesel must be restored.
Representatives of the Federation of Oil Palm Growers in Thailand arrived at the Energy Ministry to send a letter of their stance to tolerate the availability of only B7 diesel for four months (from Dec 1 to March 31) and demand the restoration of three diesel products namely B7, B10 and B20 in the market afterwards.
Oil palm growers will make their movement unless the government’s Energy Policy Administration Committee (EPAC) responds positively to the demand, they said.
Manas Phuttharat, chairman of the federation, said oil palm growers would suspend their protest against the single B7 diesel availability because they did not want disorder which could affect tourism and economy. However, he said that the policy on the single B7 diesel availability reduced the consumption of crude palm oil by 17,000 tons per month.
He said that the Energy Ministry should tell truck operators that oil palm growers had faced losses and palm oil did not cause a high price of diesel.
Last week the EPAC resolved to suspend the production of B10 and B20 diesel with the content of 10% and 20% palm-based biodiesel respectively from December to March in a bid to cap the diesel price at gas stations at 28 baht per liter.
Earlier truck operators demanded the government limit diesel prices at 25 baht per liter. (TNA)
