Fruit was the most valuable agricultural export last year, with the value of durian shipments surpassing 134 billion baht, according to the Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO).
Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, director-general of TPSO, attributed this success to rising demand in global markets and increasing popularity because of Thai fruit's high quality, variety and unique flavours.
Thailand's total fruit exports tallied US$6.51 billion in 2024, surpassing the five-year average of $5.86 billion and accounting for 22.6% of all agricultural exports.
Fresh fruit generated $5.15 billion in revenue. Key exports included durian, longan, mangosteen, young coconut and mango.
The country shipped 859,183 tonnes of durian worth $3.76 billion, making up 72.9% of the total value of fresh fruit exports.
China was the dominant export market, accounting for 97.4% of these shipments, followed by Hong Kong, South Korea, Malaysia and the US.
Longan exports totalled 527,927 tonnes, bringing in $571 million, with China accounting for 73.1% of the shipments. Other key markets were Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and India.
Mangosteen exports totalled 284,860 tonnes worth $491 million, primarily sent to China (91%), Vietnam, South Korea, the US and the UAE.
Thailand also exported 257,428 tonnes of young coconuts worth $217 million, with major markets comprising China (82.7%), the US, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Netherlands.
Mango exports tallied 106,753 tonnes worth $133 million, with South Korea the dominant market, accounting for 61.8% of total shipments. Other key markets included Malaysia, Japan, Vietnam and Laos.
Mr Poonpong said while Thailand's fresh fruit exports are heavily dependent on the Chinese market, increased competition poses challenges, especially for durian.
Since 2023, China has allowed imports of Thai durian, but also started permitting imports from Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia, coupled with stricter import regulations.
To maintain competitiveness, he said Thailand needs to adapt swiftly and explore new export markets, including the US, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK.
Diversification would lessen the country's reliance on China and offset the effects of fiercer competition, said Mr Poonpong.
Despite a contraction in overall fruit exports last year due to hot and dry weather conditions affecting yields, he said he is optimistic fruit remains a high-potential product that can generate significant revenue for the country and farmers.
The Commerce Ministry wants to increase exports by exploring new potential markets, while also supporting value-added processing of agricultural products and preparing strategies to manage fruit production this year, ensuring market stability.