The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives in Thailand addressed claims about the closure of durian export testing labs. Ekaphap Phonsue, the Ministry's spokesperson, confirmed that four laboratories remain operational for testing 'Basic Yellow 2' (BY2) and cadmium before export. Additionally, five labs have applied for registration with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC), and two more are seeking to resume testing.
BY2, an organic compound in yellow powder form, is employed in dyeing textiles, paper, leather, and paints. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified it as a Group 2B carcinogen. For durian exports to China, lab test reports confirming the absence of BY2 are mandatory, as Chinese customs will reject shipments lacking this documentation.
Ekaphap urged reliance on official Ministry information to avoid confusion from online reports. Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Narumon Pinyosinwat, highlighted concerns over durian exports to China, assuring that the number of laboratories is adequate to manage the anticipated volume in May.
Exporters are advised to verify the list of authorized laboratories for BY2 and cadmium testing on the Ministry's official website, as noted by Narumon.
Source: The Nation