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International Monetary Fund Takes Aim at Thailand’s Costly Rice Subsidy

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The government has spent about 670 billion baht, or $21.2 billion since the program began buying rice at premiums of 35%-50% above market rates. In July, the Commerce Ministry reported losses of 136 billion baht, or $4.3 billion, in the 2011-‘12 crop year, the most recent for which they provided estimates

 

BANGKOK – The International Monetary Fund urged Thailand to drop its multibillion-dollar rice subsidy program and scale back some other fiscal stimulus measures to reach a balanced budget and make room for spending on projects that enhance growth.

The IMF’s recommendations, part of its annual consultations with Thailand, come after Thailand extended its rice subsidy program for a third year in October.

The program, under which the government buys rice from local farmers for a set price above market rates, was launched in 2011 after Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra took office. It was a bid to stimulate spending in rural areas and support Thai farmers, a key constituency for Ms. Yingluck’s Pheu Thai Party.

The government also hoped that by hoarding rice supplies it could drive up global prices. But the plan backfired as other exporters such as India and Vietnam filled the void in the market, displacing Thailand from its perch as the world’s biggest rice exporter.

The subsidy program left Ms. Yingluck’s administration with a big bill and millions of tons of unsold rice. The government has spent about 670 billion baht, or $21.2 billion since the program began buying rice at premiums of 35%-50% above market rates. In July, the Commerce Ministry reported losses of 136 billion baht, or $4.3 billion, in the 2011-‘12 crop year, the most recent for which they provided estimates.

“It is inevitable for the government to incur losses as long as the scheme remains unchanged,” the IMF said.

Thai Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong told reporters Tuesday he hadn’t seen the IMF’s recommendations yet and would not comment. But he said the Finance Ministry isn’t worried about the subsidy program.

The rice support program is one of several stimulus programs of the Yingluck administration that have come in for criticism by economists and academics, who say such populist policies jeopardize a government commitment to balance the budget by 2017 and keep public debt below 50% of GDP. Thailand’s public debt was 45.5% of GDP as of September, according to data from the Public Debt Management Office.

Last month, a former central bank governor and finance minister, Pridiyathorn Devakula, joined the call to scrap the rice subsidy, estimating that the program’s losses have reached 425 billion baht, or $13.5 billion.

Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisal refuted the claim, telling reporters last week that losses from the program “should be not over 100 billion baht [$3.2 billion] a year.”

Thai authorities said the subsidy aims to address economic inequality and help poor farmers improve productivity.

Thai officials acknowledged concerns about the effectiveness and transparency of the program and “suggested that a reduction in the pledging prices or limits on the amount of purchase might be needed to ensure the sustainability of the policy,” according to a summary of Thai officials’ views included in the IMF report.

For the third subsidy year, which began last month, the government made some minor moves to scale back the subsidy, including lowering the rice purchase price and limiting the amount of rice each household can sell. But the government is still expected to pay around $8.6 billion on the subsidy for 2013-‘14.

The IMF said it sees “clear merit” in replacing the rice scheme with a more effective measure to support low-income agricultural households, such as targeted cash transfers.

“Uncertainty and lack of data concerning the rice paddy pledging scheme has eroded confidence in Thailand’s public finance,” the report said. , In June, Moody’s Investors Service warned in June that losses from the subsidy could threaten Thailand’s credit rating.

The government also finds itself with 15 million tons of rice in its stockpiles, just as the U.S. Department of Agriculture has estimated that global output would rise 1.7% to an all-time high in 2013-2014.

Prices for Thailand’s 5% broken rice have continued to fall. In October, Thai 5% broken rice was exported at $440 a metric ton, almost 24% lower than a year earlier, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization.

Thailand’s total rice exports in the first nine months of 2013 came to approximately 4.63 million metric tons, down 1.8% from a year earlier, the Thai Rice Exporters Association reported. However, the Thai government still expects to export 7.5-8 million tons of rice this year and has stepped up efforts to unload rice via government-to-government sales.

Ms. Yingluck’s government signed six proposals during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s visit to Thailand last month, including a proposal to barter rice and other agricultural products to help pay for Chinese assistance in developing a high-speed train network in Thailand. 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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(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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