Two sugar firms told to stop buying cane from burned plantations
Full cooperation from most factories, except six of Mitr Phol Sugar Corp and Thai Roong Ruang Sugar Group
The Office of the Cane and Sugar Board (OCSB) on Sunday told two giant sugar companies to instruct their plants to stop buying sugar canes harvested by burning.
OSCB secretary general Bainoi Suwanchatree said his office has sought cooperation from 58 sugar milling factories around the country to stop buying canes from plantations that cut costs by burning before harvesting.
The cooperation period was from January 3-12 as the OSCB wanted to ensure clean air for children as a gift for National Children’s Day on January 12, Bainoi added.
He said the measures received full cooperation from most factories, except six of Mitr Phol Sugar Corporation and Thai Roong Ruang Sugar Group.
As a result, Bainoi said, Mitr Phol and Thai Roong Ruang were asked to instruct the six plants to comply with a “cooperation request” from the OSCB.
The six plants in question have bought sugar canes from burned plantations in the following ratios as compared with those harvesting without burning:
- Suphan Buri Sugar Plant (58.8%)
- Udon Thani Thai Sugar Plant (41.68%)
- Mitr Kalasin Plant in Kalasin (35.66%)
- Erawan Sugar Plant in Nong Bua Lamphu (27.05%)
- Thai Roong Ruang Plant in Sakon Nakhon (26.99%)
- Ruam Kasettakorn Plant in Khon Kaen (20.06%).
In the few days of this year so far, the sugar mills in question have bought 4 million of canes from burned plantations, tantamount to burning 400,000 rai of forests and equal to generating 1,000 tonnes of PM2.5 dust, Bainoi concluded.
