Under-pressure battery-makers seek price increases of 10-15 per cent

       Unable to shoulder higher production costs, battery producers have sought the government's approval to raise retail prices by 10 to 15 per cent despite the current price-freeze policy.
       Yanyong Phuangrach, permanent secretary of the Commerce Ministry, said car-battery producers had called for the ministry to approve an increase in the retail price soon, as they face higher costs of production. A letter submitted by the makers said they wanted to hike retail prices by 10 to 15 per cent as copper prices have risen by 50 per cent from Bt4,000 to Bt6,000 in the past few months.
       Now, the retail price of an N70 battery is between Bt2,200 and Bt2,300. If the government approved a price increase, the retail price would be quoted at Bt2,420 to Bt2,530.
       However, Yanyong said, the ministry would try to persuade producers to cooperate and retain the current retail prices until the end of the year in line with the government's policy to freeze consumer-goods prices.
       In addition, the retail price of steel is set to soar following an increase in the cost of billet from US$400 (Bt13.300) a tonne to $500 to $600 in the past year.
       Meanwhile, the Commerce Ministry will today ask for the National Rice Policy committee's approval to open pledging for 2 million tonnes of rice to help farmers, whose income has fallen.
       The measure is aimed at boosting the market rice price, which has dropped in the past month as the harvest season has increased supply, said Commerce Minister Porntiva Nakasai.
       Also, the collapse of five banks in Africa has resulted in lower purchasing orders from African countries. This has caused Thai exporters to delay purchasing rice from the market and a drop in rice prices.
       The pledging scheme is one of six government measures to stabilise the rice price. The committee must also address the problem of farmers being unable to participate in the rice-pledging scheme because of a delay on the part of the government in completing its list of registered farmers.