Prachachat reported that Aat Pisanwanich, director of the International Trade Research Center of the University of Thai Chamber of Commerce, talked about the export of Thai durians to China under the new wave of Covid-19 cases.
He said that although recent news reported that China had slowed down the import of durians during this period, which aroused concerns among Thai durian growers and entrepreneurs. In fact, China has not stopped durian imports, but only strengthened quarantine measures on durian imports.
Aat said that Thailand's durian production in 2021 is expected to reach around 1 million tons, higher than the 500,000-700,000 tons in 2020. A considerable part of this Thailand's number one fruit is exported to China each year. Durian is an important indicator of agricultural production in Thailand, and the development in the Chinese market will directly affect exports.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, China has adopted strict quarantine measures on imported goods including fruits from Thailand. Before exporting durians, a GAP and a GMP certificate must be submitted to the GACC to apply for a DOA. Durians allowed to be exported need to have a DOA number to facilitate traceability.
Aat revealed that in a few months, nearly 100,000 tons of durians from the three most strictly controlled districts, Chanthaburi, Trat, and Rayong, will become available in the market. In order to build confidence in the Chinese and international markets, it is recommended to adopt 4 measures, including sterile disinfection, using a NO-COVID-19 label, allowing relevant Chinese authorities to inspect the process of growing, packaging, and transportation, and providing Covid-19 insurance to consumers.
Source: Pracachat