Around 1,000 angry lychee growers in Thailand’s Phayao province staged a road block to protest against falling prices of their produce, which has dropped to as little as 5-6 baht per kg, reports The Bangkok Post.

Lychee growers from five tambons in Mae Chai district on Sunday blocked Sribunruaeng intersection on Phahon Yothin Road for a second day, erecting 10 tents across all four traffic lanes. They demanded the government address the falling price of their fruit.

The price of grade A lychee has fallen from 20 baht a kilogramme to only 5-6 baht a kilogramme in less than a week, the farmers said.

Last month, PM's Office Minister Virachai Virameteekul and former Democrat candidate for Phayao Mallikar Boonmeetrakul met lychee growers and promised to help them. The growers said they were still waiting for a response.

Sampan Kantipan, chairman of the Phayao Lychee Growers Association, said his group had put its demands to the government.

They want the government to guarantee the price of grade A lychee at 30 baht/kilo and grade B fruit at 25 baht/kilo, and ban lychee grown in other areas from being sold in Mae Chai district.

Mae Chai district has 21,699 rai in lychee plantations, producing 14,496 tonnes of fruit.

Mr Sampan said his association had also submitted a petition to the Royal Household Bureau seeking royal help.

The protesters dispersed after being told that the government had agreed to their demands.

The government's promise was conveyed by Prapon Malinthajinda, secretary to the commerce minister, who told Mr Sampan that the government would spend 300m baht in a price intervention scheme.

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