Chanthaburi: Farmers are being urged to crack down on "unripe durian" to prevent foreigners from cultivating orchards, which is harming local farmers. A durian crackdown expert has stated that this year's durian prices are the lowest in many years, attributing the decline to the problem of unripe durians dragging down market prices and impacting buyer confidence. He warns that if this issue is not addressed quickly, Thailand could lose its export market to Vietnam in the future. Meanwhile, concerns remain regarding foreign ownership of durian orchards, which raises legal restrictions on agricultural occupations.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Chonlathi Nummnu, former president of the Eastern Thailand Durian Growers Federation, revealed that the durian situation this year is worrying. Prices have dropped lower than in previous years due to a large influx of produce into the market, coupled with the persistent problem of low-quality durian that has persisted for several years.
Substandard durian results from premature harvesting, or the rush to harvest and bring the produce to market before the season. Although the fruit may ripen, the taste and quality do not meet standards, leading to decreased consumer confidence in Thai durian in end markets, particularly China, and affecting overall prices.
Signs of declining prices were seen during the Qingming Festival in early April, with a tendency for prices to continue falling as production increases. Without strict quality control, this could impact Thailand's long-term competitiveness.
At the same time, it is suggested that the government urgently enforce strict quality control measures, especially by regulating durian packing houses to prevent them from purchasing durian that has been harvested prematurely. There must also be clear and serious penalties, such as suspending licenses or closing packing houses, in order to raise the standards of the entire Thai durian system.
Mr. Chonlathi commented on the upcoming visit of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, Ms. Supajee Suthamphan, to Chanthaburi province on April 25th to inspect the durian situation, saying it was a positive development as it coincides with a crucial period in the production season. He also urged her to take decisive action against substandard durian.
Furthermore, concerns of farmers regarding foreigners buying durian orchards were raised. Since agriculture is a business strictly prohibited for foreigners under Thai law, a thorough investigation of the facts and strict enforcement of the law are necessary to prevent negative impacts on Thai farmers and the long-term market structure.
Meanwhile, Mr. Chonlathi urged Mr. Suriya Jungrungreangkit, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, to instruct relevant agencies, especially the Department of Agriculture and the National Agricultural and Food Standards Office (NAFS), to strictly control the standards and quality of durian from the source, in order to prevent losing market share to competing countries such as Vietnam in the future.