Govt to overhaul school milk project in light of discrepancies

Govt to overhaul school milk project in light of discrepancies

The Prime Minister has confirmed the government’s preparation to improve raw milk quality and expand its market, revealing that plans have been underway to reorganize the system used for acquiring school milk.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva asserted on his weekly “Having Confidence in Thailand with PM Abhisit” program this morning (March 8) that the surplus of raw milk in the market as well as the discovery of discrepancies in the purchase of milk to be used in school programs have not been left unheeded by the government, stating that a meeting among relevant ministers as well as agriculturalists has been called. As an initial resolution from the meeting, the premier said that the raw milk market would be expanded by extending the school milk project, currently available to children up to the 4th grade, to cover the 5th and 6th grades as well while the milk would be supplied for an increased 260 days per year. Current agreements with milk producers will remain effective until April 28, after which a re-evaluation of purchase prices will take place.

Speaking of suspicions of corruption in the school milk project, PM Abhisit said that zoning limitations for the purchase of milk will be lifted while local administrative organizations will be given the authority over the project for the time being. He assured that the government would reimburse any loss incurred by recent discrepancies in the project. The Prime Minister added that the quality of school milk would improve with the increase in number of boxed milk, which has longer shelf life than the bagged milk.

National News Bureau of Thailand
08 March 2009