The Ministry of Commerce will seek cabinet approval next week for a 1.4 billion budget, from the Central Fund, to implement projects within three months which will ease the rise in the cost of living, Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said today (Friday).

The projects would include a plan to increase the number of outlets selling pork at ฿150/kg to 667 across the country, a campaign to encourage people to consume alternative sources of protein, an increase in pig stocks and encouragement of small-scale pig farmers to switch to the good farming management standards to prevent diseases.

Jurin said that the Commerce Ministry has already banned the export of live pigs for three months, which will increase the number available for domestic consumption by about a million.

Small pig farmers are expected to get easier access to funding from the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives for the raising of pigs, to replace those culled or which died from diseases and to switch to good farming practices.

As for chicken meat, the commerce minister said the ministry has been assured by chicken farmers there is sufficient chicken to meet domestic demand, adding that, to prevent overpricing of chicken meat, the ministry will arrange for some 3,000 distribution outlets to sell chicken to the public at below market prices.

For other consumer products, he said that the Internal Trade Department has frozen some prices, with a warning to traders not to hike prices or face legal action.