Bangkok: The Department of Cooperative Promotion has proposed four main measures aimed at enhancing the Ministry of Agriculture's fruit production management in 2026. Preparations are underway for the "Fresh From Farm" event, designed to boost the consumption of Thai fruits from the country's four regions.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Nirun Multhida, Director-General of the Department of Cooperative Promotion, announced the measures following the 2nd Fruit Board meeting of 2026. The meeting, held at the Ministry of Agriculture, was led by Ms. Piyarat Tiyapairat, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives. The measures are part of the 2026 Fruit Distribution Support Project to Enhance Prices for Agricultural Institutions, backed by a budget of 10,575,000 baht from the Agricultural Assistance Fund.
The first measure focuses on marketing management, aiming to connect distribution networks for agricultural institutions, cooperatives, farmer groups, and fruit distributors. With a budget of 2,580,800 baht, this measure will support transportation costs, with the goal of distributing 1,290.40 tons of fruit from cooperatives.
The second measure supports packaging enhancements by providing 208,500 fruit baskets, aimed at improving the quality of fruit collection and distribution. This initiative, with a budget of 5,338,242 baht, involves 48 farmer institutions across 24 provinces. The government will cover up to 70% of the budget, while participating farmer institutions will contribute at least 30%.
The third measure involves a public relations campaign to stimulate consumption during peak production seasons. This includes the "Fresh From Farm" event, which will be held at leading department stores in Bangkok. The campaign's budget is 2,000,000 baht.
The final measure offers training on export-oriented packing plant standards to enhance the capabilities of 20 farmer institutions. This includes training for various fruits and involves collaboration with four agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. The total budget for this program is 348,000 baht, with additional operational expenses totaling 307,958 baht.
Mr. Nirun highlighted additional sub-measures to support the Ministry of Agriculture's fruit management, including network connections for product exchange, accelerated product distribution, and the establishment of cooperative distribution centers.
Mr. Narit Boonchai, Deputy Director-General of the Department, recently visited Chachoengsao and Trat provinces to monitor ongoing fruit production. He noted that the Trat Provincial Agricultural Business Promotion Cooperative has an agreement to sell to Tops Supermarket, which will serve as the main distribution center for the province. The center is equipped with comprehensive marketing facilities, and in the future, it plans to process substandard durian for export.
The Deputy Director-General concluded that the cooperatives' expertise in fruit collection and processing is expected to facilitate the swift distribution of local farmers' produce to both domestic and international markets at fair prices.