BANGKOK (NNT) – Thai exporters of longan are now allowed to send their produce to China once again, following months of suspension over quality inspection. The resumption of exports to China will give a positive push to the pricing of longan as demand grows.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce revealed today that the Chinese authorities have granted permission for 50 longan sorting and packing facilities with low past detection of pests to ship their produce to China, along with six facilities that were previously barred by the Thai authorities in March over non-compliance with China’s new import regulations.
Mrs Mallika Boonmeetrakool Mahasook, advisor to the Minister of Commerce, said changes have been made so that these facilities meet China’s import rules, resulting in the 56 facilities now being able to export Thai longan to Chinese markets. This should allow the pricing of longan to increase during this harvest season, as farmers receive more orders from sorting facilities and exporters.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Jurin Laksanawisit has instructed the Ministry of Commerce to work together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, to avoid similar incidents in the future, and to ensure all quality assurance measures proposed to the Chinese government are strictly enforced.
He has urged the Department of International Trade Promotion to further promote international marketing of Thai longan, pushing for exports to more markets.
The Department of Internal Trade is also tasked with helping encourage exporters, retailers, government agencies, and private firms to purchase the produce from farmers.
