Durian Quality Inspection Program Begins in Thailand

According to a press conference held on March 31 in Thailand’s Chanthaburi province, the country’s largest durian-growing region, a new quality inspection program for Thai durians has recently been implemented throughout the province. As of the date of the press conference, three durian farms from different counties had been identified as reportedly having quality issues.

In the case of the first farm, the flesh content of 40 pieces of durians destined for China, a key market for Thai durian exports, was found to be below the standard 30%. For the second farm, 192 pieces of durians were also identified as having insufficient flesh content, which was as low as 20% in some cases. For the third farm, 180 kilograms of durians were found to possess inadequate ripeness as a consequence of premature harvesting.

The substandard durians were all confiscated with the responsible persons receiving warnings and fines. In late March of this year, news reports indicated that some farmers in Chanthaburi and nearby provinces had been secretly picking immature durians for sale, with some of these fruits being sent overseas. Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, which places great importance on the quality and international reputation of Thai fruit, immediately requested that the relevant departments investigate these claims.

Regarding the quality inspection program, the provincial governor of Chanthaburi stated that some dishonest merchants had recklessly pursued profits by selling durians of inferior quality and insufficient ripeness. The governor hopes that local farms can work together to defend the strong international reputation of Thai durians to avoid harming the interests of everyone working in the industry.

Image: 泰国中文网 (WeChat Official Account: Taiguotaidu)

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article.