At Nanning airport in Guangxi province, a shipment of Thai durian was denied entry into China due to the absence of a necessary health certificate. The inspection revealed the shipment lacked documentation from Thailand's Department of Agriculture certifying it was free from the prohibited BY2 chemical. This incident prompted the General Administration of Customs of China to mandate that all Thai durian imports must be accompanied by a BY2 lab test certificate to verify the absence of the chemical, commonly used in various industries including textile and leather. The World Health Organization has identified BY2 as a carcinogen, highlighting the health risks associated with its presence in food products.
In response to this development, Thailand's Department of Agriculture has reiterated China's stringent requirements, emphasizing the ban on BY2 in durians destined for the Chinese market. The department has discovered instances where durians were treated with BY2, particularly in Chumphon province, contravening export regulations. With China being the largest market for Thai durian exports, this enforcement could have significant implications for trade relations and export practices between the two countries.
Source: Thai PBS World