The Thai government has said that it will implement a regulation on upgrading durian export standards to standardize the acquisition, packaging and export processes of durians. Thai Prime Minister Saitha has instructed the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to formulate relevant policies to prevent the sale and export of immature or poor-quality durians, an initiative that will improve the standardization of Thai durian sales and exports and enhance the competitiveness of Thailand's durian exports, according to Thai Prime Minister's Office spokesman Chai Wacharong.
Thailand is one of the world's major durian producers and exporters, and from mid-April to mid-September each year is the concentrated ripening season of Thai durians. In recent years, the scale of local durian cultivation and production has been increasing. According to statistics, over the past 12 years, Thailand's durian cultivation area has increased by 80%, and the annual durian production has increased from 500,000 tons to about 1.4 million tons, an increase of 180%. Durian exports have become one of Thailand's important sources of income.
Thai durian producers and exporters have also taken different initiatives to improve durian quality. For example, through near-infrared spectroscopy detection technology and artificial intelligence technology, enterprises such as Thailand's Zhengda Group can more quickly and accurately identify durian ripeness and quality grades without destroying the flesh, improving the sorting efficiency of fruit farmers.
Influenced by climate change and other factors, Thailand's durian exports also face some challenges. Especially in recent years, the El Niño phenomenon has led to frequent droughts in Thailand, which has had some negative impacts on the yield and quality of local durians. Thai media analysis said that the current government's most urgent task is to solve the drought problem faced by durian farmers, to protect the income level of farmers, and focus on quality production. Thailand's Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has asked to strengthen the management of the irrigation system to ensure that the orchards in the eastern regions of Chanthaburi, Rayong and Da Lat provinces, which are in the midst of the durian ripening season, are supplied with sufficient irrigation water.
According to the regulations on durian export standards to be implemented by the Thai government, factories engaged in durian collection, sorting and packaging must be certified to the relevant standards and obtain a certificate of compliance before export. The regulations also set dry weight standards for the pulp of different varieties of durians, and the dry weight percentage of durians of the Golden Pillow, Tsingni and Klang varieties must not be less than 32%, 30% and 28%, respectively.
Thailand's Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has also recently convened durian farmers, sorting and packing plant operators, exporters and agricultural cooperation and extension departments to discuss durian quality assurance issues. Minister Thamana said the ministry will strengthen durian quality control, issue inspection and quarantine certificates to growers, sorting and packing factories and exporters that meet durian export requirements, and work to reduce the cost of agricultural materials and enhance the price competitiveness of durian exports.
According to Thailand's Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the country is expected to export about 1 million tons of durians this year, with a total value of about 130 billion baht (1 yuan is about 5.07 baht), most of which will be sold to the Chinese market. Saitha said that in the future, Thailand will take measures to comprehensively strengthen the competitiveness of durian exports, including the development of new varieties, control the conditions and quality of durian production, and improve the efficiency of transportation, etc., in an effort to maintain the leading position of Thailand's durian exports.