Prachuap Khiri Khan coconut growers are escalating pressure on the Thai government to curb imports and speed up price support after farmgate prices fell below levels they say no longer cover production costs, underscoring a broader battle over agricultural incomes and food-import policy.
Thailand Coconut Growers Press for Import Curbs
The protest in Bang Saphan, where farmers staged a symbolic burning of a “monitor lizard” effigy, comes as growers say the official reference price for large coconuts does not match actual trading conditions. Coconut meat is fetching about 14 baht per kilogram, while prices for smaller nuts are falling even though supply is entering a seasonal low-output period.
For investors and food makers, the dispute matters because Thailand is a major coconut supplier and the government’s response could affect costs across the coconut chain, from raw fruit to frozen coconut milk and processed coconut products. Growers want tighter controls on imports of coconuts, frozen coconut cream, ready-made coconut milk and other derivatives, arguing that inbound supplies are depressing domestic prices.
Bangkok has already approved a 46.6 million baht program to absorb surplus coconuts and bolster prices through Oct. 31, but farmers say the support ceiling remains too low to stabilize the market. In Prachuap Khiri Khan, officials set a reference price of 6 baht per coconut for the latest week of the absorption scheme, while processors were offered 18 baht a kilogram for dried coconut meat with 6% moisture, or 15 baht for smaller collectors.
The pressure campaign highlights a familiar policy dilemma: protect farm incomes without tightening supplies so much that food processors and consumers face higher costs. Similar tensions have played out in other edible-oil and agricultural markets, where import curbs can lift farmgate prices quickly but risk higher retail inflation later.
The growers’ next catalyst is whether the central government expands intervention, revises the support price or imposes new import controls. If it does not, the network has said it will intensify its campaign, keeping coconut prices, import policy and rural income support on Thailand’s political agenda.
| Entity | Gains | Losses |
|---|---|---|
| Coconut farmers | ▲Higher farmgate prices | ▼Income pressure from cheap imports |
| Thai government | ▲Chance to show support for rural voters | ▼Political pressure over slow response |
| Coconut processors/importers | ▲Cheaper raw material access | ▼Risk of tighter import controls |
| Consumers | ▲Stable supply if imports continue | ▼Higher prices if curbs reduce availability |


