The Commerce Ministry is to promote Chanthaburi as the No.1 fruit exporter to China via advance contracts to encourage sales of durian and mangosteen worth more than 3 billion baht.
Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Thai-Chinese Agricultural Import-Export Association and the China Fruit Marketing Association to promote fruit exports via advance contracts, Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said the MoU would guarantee stable prices and increase income for Thai farmers, as well as promoting the quality of Thai fruit on the world market.
Chanthaburi has become one of Thailand's major sources of tropical fruit.
Seven fruit crops that are grown in abundance in the province are durian, rambutan, mangosteen, zalacca, longkong, golden banana, and longan.
The ministry has succeeded in promoting fruit sales via advance contracts covering up to 20,000 tonnes of durian and mangosteen worth 3 billion baht with Chinese buyers, namely Kaf Import and Export Co (between April and June 2024) and China Certification and Inspection Centre or CCIC (Thailand) to ensure the quality of Thai fruit sold in the Chinese market.
Chanthaburi can produce roughly 500,000 tonnes of durian per year.
Recently, the market price of "Monthong" durian has been as high as 260 baht per kilogramme because it is the beginning of the season.
It is mandatory for growers to seek permission to cut durian from the provincial agricultural office to prevent sale of unripe fruit.
Mr Phumtham said the ministry is ready to provide continuous support and facilitation for durian exports at various custom checkpoints of China, namely Mohan and the Youyiguan border gate, which he plans to visit next month.
In 2023, Thailand exported fresh, chilled, frozen and dried fruit products worth 238 billion baht.
The export of durian and mangosteen was worth 141 billion baht and 17 billion baht, respectively.
These are major fruits of Chanthaburi, with China as the main export market.
The ministry has seven overseas trade promotion offices in mainland China -- in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Qingdao, Xiamen, Nanning, Chengdu and Kunming -- and two outside mainland China -- in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
According to a report by the ministry's internal trade department, overall fruit production in the 2024 harvest season is projected to increase by 4.92% to 716,421 tonnes, mainly led by durian with 561,905 tonnes (up 4.35%), mangosteen with 93,736 tonnes (up 12.3%), rambutan with 55,442 tonnes (down 0.59%), and longan with 5,308 tonnes (up 3.14%).
Almost 80% of the country's fruit crates are located in Chanthaburi, with up to 827 crates having passed good manufacturing practice standards.
The Department of Internal Trade is implementing 22 measures to manage the fruit supply for this year's harvest and control the quality of exports.
Wattanasak Sur-iam, director-general of the department, said the 22 measures are focused on four areas, covering plans for production, domestic marketing, foreign marketing, and legal issues.