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Commerce Ministry Has No Easy Options to Pay for Rice Subsidy

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A worker amid sacks of rice stored under the government

 

BANGKOK – Thailand has decided to continue its costly rice program, but critics are questioning how the government will find the money to pay for it.

The controversial program turned three years old this past week, when the government announced it would maintain an earlier agreed-upon subsidy rate for the grain harvested in the wet season, and a slightly lower rate in the off season. It also limited the maximum value of rice each farming household can sell in order to curb the ballooning subsidy expense.

Yingluck Shinawatra, inspects sacks of milled rice during a tour of the processing plant for Charoen Pokphand Foods Pcl’s (CP Foods) Royal Umbrella-brand rice in Nakhon Luang, Ayutthaya Province

The government’s decision to continue the program resulted in farmers of rubber and corn coming forward to ask for pledges to keep their price supports. It also comes as the Thai government is struggling to recover from a technical recession, while aiming to lower its budget deficit to achieve a balanced budget by 2017.

The rice subsidy program, running between October 2013 and September 2014, is expected to need around 270 billion baht, or $8.6 billion, to buy 11 million tons of rice.

“It’s not clear where the new fund of 270 billion baht is coming from,” said Nipon Poapongsakorn, a researcher at Thailand Development and Research Institute, a non-profit policy research center. “It’s a big problem, even though the government has already trimmed the subsidies.”

Since the Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra launched the rice subsidy program in 2011 – a populist campaign to help local farmers by buying rice at as much as 50% above market price – the Cabinet has approved a total budget of $16 billion, taken from a state-run bank, to fund the program.

But the government has already spent about $21.4 billion in total since then, Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisal told reporters last month. The Commerce Ministry, which manages the program, has paid some $5 billion from rice sales back to the bank.

Ms. Yingluck told reporters in September that the government would use the money from selling rice to fund the subsidy and urged the Commerce Ministry and Finance Ministry to work together to figure out how to make the math work.

There was no immediate response from the Commerce Ministry.

Although Ms. Yingluck told reporters that the government isn’t considering taking out more loans, critics worry that the government may have no other option because it can’t sell rice fast enough to not keep incurring losses.

Vichai Assarasakorn, vice chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said borrowing would simply create additional problems.

“If the government tries to raise the subsidy budget ceiling and borrow more to fund the program, it will send out a wrong message about its budget and invite more groups to ask for similar kinds of subsidies,” Mr. Vichai said.

Borrowing would also hurt Ms. Yingluck, who has seen her popularity drop amid the fight over the farm subsidies and discontent among average Thais over the rocky economy.

The government is trying to sell rice it bought at higher-than-market prices on the world stage to pay for the rice subsidy, but the cost of the government’s rice stocks has rendered Thai rice uncompetitive as global rice supplies grow. The subsidy incurred losses of about $4.3 billion loss in the first crop year.

The Commerce Ministry offered 660,000 tons of rice via three tenders in July and August, but only sold about a third, or 240,000 tons. In August, the Commerce Ministry said it signed a contract to sell 500,000 tons of rice to Iran.

In September, Mr. Niwatthamrong said the government sold 1.2 million tons of rice to China and promised to show a sale contract to the public soon to ease public skepticism. Last year, the government said it had sold about 7 million tons of rice to foreign governments, but there has been little evidence.

“So far the government produced no evidence and it stirred up a lot of speculation of irregularities,” Mr. Vichai said. “Such state-level transaction must have a record. It’s really bizarre.”

The Commerce minister said last month the government’s rice stocks have fallen to about 10 million tons, from 17 million tons in June.  The remaining stockpile is equal to the country’s total rice exports in 2011.

Last month, a Commerce deputy minister said the ministry planned to ask Public Warehouse Organization, which is under the ministry’s supervision, to pay a lease that the government owes private mills and warehouses in the form of rice, instead of cash. The outstanding bill amounted to $32 million.

“This kind of payment is normal and on a voluntary basis,”  Commerce deputy minister Yanyong Puangrat told reporters late last month. “It’s aimed to boost liquidity of the operators [of warehouse and millers] and also provides a channel to offload the government’s rice stocks.” – By Warangkana Chomchuen

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PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.

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(VOR News) – In the third quarter of this year, Pepsi’s net income was $2.93 billion, which is equivalent to $2.13 per share. This was attributed to the company.

This is in stark contrast to net income of $3.09 billion, which is equivalent to $2.24 per share, during the same period in the previous year. The company’s earnings per share were $2.31 when expenses were excluded.

Net sales decreased by 0.6%, totaling $23.32 billion. Organic sales increased by 1.3% during the quarter when the effects of acquisitions, divestitures, and currency changes are excluded.

Pepsi’s beverage sales fell this quarter.

The most recent report indicates that the beverage and food sectors of the organization experienced a 2% decline in volume. Consumers of all income levels are demonstrating a change in their purchasing habits, as indicated by CEOs’ statements from the previous quarter.

Pepsi’s entire volume was adversely affected by the lackluster demand they encountered in North America. An increasing number of Americans are becoming more frugal, reducing the number of snacks they ingest, and reducing the number of times they purchase at convenience stores.

Furthermore, Laguarta observed that the increase in sales was partially attributed to the election that occurred in Mexico during the month of June.

The most significant decrease in volume was experienced by Quaker Foods North America, which was 13%. In December, the company announced its initial recall in response to a potential salmonella infection.

Due to the probability of an illness, the recall was extended in January. Pepsi officially closed a plant that was implicated in the recalls in June, despite the fact that manufacturing had already been halted.

Jamie Caulfield, the Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi and Laguarta, has indicated that the recalls are beginning to have a lessening effect.

Frito-Lay experienced a 1.5% decline in volume in North America. The company has been striving to improve the value it offers to consumers and the accessibility of its snack line, which includes SunChips, Cheetos, and Stacy’s pita chips, in the retail establishments where it is sold.

Despite the fact that the category as a whole has slowed down in comparison to the results of previous years, the level of activity within the division is progressively increasing.

Pepsi executives issued a statement in which they stated that “Salty and savory snacks have underperformed year-to-date after outperforming packaged food categories in previous years.”

Pepsi will spend more on Doritos and Tostitos in the fall and winter before football season.

The company is currently promoting incentive packets for Tostitos and Ruffles, which contain twenty percent more chips than the standard package.

Pepsi is expanding its product line in order to more effectively target individuals who are health-conscious. The business announced its intention to acquire Siete Foods for a total of $1.2 billion approximately one week ago. The restaurant serves Mexican-American cuisine, which is typically modified to meet the dietary needs of a diverse clientele.

The beverage segment of Pepsi in North America experienced a three percent decrease in volume. Despite the fact that the demand for energy drinks, such as Pepsi’s Rockstar, has decreased as a result of consumers visiting convenience stores, the sales of well-known brands such as Gatorade and Pepsi have seen an increase throughout the quarter.

Laguarta expressed his opinion to the analysts during the company’s conference call, asserting, “I am of the opinion that it is a component of the economic cycle that we are currently experiencing, and that it will reverse itself in the future, once consumers feel better.”

Additionally, it has been noted that the food and beverage markets of South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa have experienced a decline in sales volume. The company cut its forecast for organic revenue for the entire year on Tuesday due to the business’s second consecutive quarter of lower-than-anticipated sales.

The company’s performance during the quarter was adversely affected by the Quaker Foods North America recalls, the decrease in demand in the United States, and the interruptions that occurred in specific international markets, as per the statements made by Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta.

Pepsi has revised its forecast for organic sales in 2024, shifting from a 4% growth rate to a low single-digit growth rate. The company reiterated its expectation that the core constant currency profitability per share will increase by a minimum of 8% in comparison to the previous year.

The company’s shares declined by less than one percent during premarket trading. The following discrepancies between the company’s report and the projections of Wall Street were identified by LSEG in a survey of analysts:

SOURCE: CNBC

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Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

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Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

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Infosys

(VOR News) – Old National Bank, a commercial bank with its headquarters in the Midwest, and Infosys, a firm that specializes in information technology, have recently entered into a strategic expansion of their link, which has been in place for the past four years.

This expansion is more likely to take place sooner rather than later, with the likelihood being higher.

For the purpose of making it possible for Old National Bank to make use of the services, solutions, and platforms that are offered by Infosys, the objective of this expansion is to make it possible for the bank to transform its operations and processes through the application of automation and GenAI, as well as to change significant business areas.

This lets the bank leverage Infosys’ services, solutions, and platforms.

Old National Bank Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said, “At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional experiences for both our customers and our fellow employees.”

This statement is applicable to Old National Bank. Infosys is carefully managing the business process innovations that it is putting us through, putting a strong emphasis on efficiency and value growth throughout the process to ensure that it is carried out efficiently.

This is a routine occurrence throughout the entire operation. Because of Infosys’ dedication to our development and success, we are incredibly appreciative of the assistance they have provided.

Old National has been receiving assistance from Infosys in the process of updating its digital environment since the year 2020, according to the aforementioned company.

Ever since that time, the company has been providing assistance. The provision of this assistance has been accomplished through the utilization of a model that is not only powerful but also capable of functioning on its own power.

Infosys currently ranks Old National thirty-first out of the top thirty US banks.

This ranking is based on the fact that Old National is the nation’s largest banking corporation.

It is estimated that the total value of the company’s assets is approximately fifty-three billion dollars, while the assets that are currently being managed by the organization are valued at thirty billion dollars.

Dennis Gada, the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking and Financial Services, stated that “Old National Bank and Infosys possess a robust cultural and strategic alignment in the development, management, and enhancement of enterprise-scale solutions to transform the bank’s operations and facilitate growth.”

This remark referenced the exceptional cultural and strategic synergy between the two organizations. Dennis Gada is the one who asserted this claim. This was articulated explicitly concerning the exceptional cultural congruence and strategy alignment of the two organizations.

We are pleased to announce that the implementation of Infosys Topaz will substantially expedite the transformation of Old National Bank’s business processes and customer service protocols. We are exceedingly enthusiastic about this matter. We are quite thrilled about this specific component of the scenario.

Medium-sized banks operating regionally will continue to benefit from our substantial expertise in the sector, technology, and operations. This specific market segment of Infosys will persist in benefiting from our extensive experience. This phenomenon will enable this market sector to sustain substantial growth and efficiency benefits.

SOURCE: THBL

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American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

States Sue TikTok, Claiming Its Platform Is Addictive And Harms The Mental Health Of Children

Qantas Airways Apologizes After R-Rated Film Reportedly Airs On Every Screen During Flight

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American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

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water

The largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States stated Monday that it had been the target of a cyberattack, forcing the company to halt invoicing to consumers.

water

American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

American Water, based in New Jersey and serving over 14 million people in 14 states and 18 military facilities, said it learned of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and quickly took precautions, including shutting down certain systems. The business does not believe the attack had an impact on its facilities or operations and said employees were working “around the clock” to determine the origin and scale of the attack.

water

The corporation stated that it has alerted legal enforcement and is cooperating with them. It also stated that consumers will not be charged late fees while its systems are unavailable.

According to their website, American Water operates over 500 water and wastewater systems in around 1,700 communities across California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

SOURCE | AP

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