Govt looks at B10 billion in sales amid fears
PUBLISHED: 21 Mar 2025 at 05: 18
Thailand’s government has assured the world that its durians, especially Basic Yellow 2 ( BY2 ) dye, are completely free of chemical residues, and it plans to export 950, 000 tonnes of its products to China, the US, Europe, and India this year.
Pichai Naripthaphan, the minister of commerce, claimed that Thai durian exports are still untainted and free of pesticide residues.
Some Foreign buyers are starting to doubt the quality of Thai produce due to the use of chemicals. He said on Thursday that there were concerns about the use of BY2, a harmful food coloring material, this month, whereas last year there were concerns about cobalt.
He claimed that the government had laid out its berry management strategy for 2025, which includes seven crucial measures focusing on quality control and chemical pollution prevention, particularly in regards to BY2 waste.
Authorities in Chanthaburi state have put in place strict hygiene and inspection standards to prevent durians from accumulating.
On Wednesday, Mr. Pichai met with Chanthaburi government Monsit Paisarntanawat and a number of organizations to discuss how the government will work with the Chinese Embassy to conduct on-site checks in the state to gain respect from the international market.
He claimed he had spoken with Wu Zhiwu, the Chinese Embassy’s minister counsellor, to highlight Thailand’s strict inspection procedures before export and that he had spoken with him to request that China ease its import checks by conducting strange inspections rather than complete ones.
He said,” This strategy aims to prevent delays and possible spoilage of edible shipments.”
No pollution issues have been reported over the past month, despite China’s officially relaxing inspections of Thai durians. Mr. Pichai has invited Mr. Zhiwu and Taiwanese officials to attend Chanthaburi for first-hand identification in order to boost confidence.
The Commerce Ministry is closely monitoring the export trends, with durian production projected to increase by 37 % to 1.76 million tonnes in May.
Its plan includes expanding the domestic and international business, strengthening the supply chain, and enforcing regulations. He noted that efforts are being made to increase Thai grapes exports to the United States, the European Union, and India, with a goal of at least 950 000 tonnes for more than 10 billion baht.
Talks will be held regarding expanding Thai fruits exports to the nation during India’s prime minister’s future April visit.
The ministry is also pushing for Thai durians to have Geographical Indication ( GI ) certification.