BANGKOK, 11 December 2013 The European Union (EU) could ban Thai fruit after flies were found in guavas imported from Thailand.
According to the Commerce Ministry, the EU has found fruit flies in guavas imported from Thailand. This was the third time within a year that Thailand failed to meet the EU’s quality standard requirements. The European Union only allows 5 mistakes per a 1-year period, starting from 1 August 2013 to 1 August 2014. If Thailand fails to meet the requirements two more times before August 1st next year, its fruit products to Europe will be suspended immediately. The EU has therefore asked the Thai exporters to be extremely careful when it comes to guavas, mangoes, and rose apples.
Furthermore, the EU has found pests in Thai vegetables and is on the brink of banning vegetables from Thailand. As a result, the Commerce Ministry will have to from now on limit the quantity of exported vegetables to Europe until the 1 year period ends. The period for Thai vegetable export is from 14 March 2013 to 14 March 2014.
If the EU puts a ban on Thai vegetables, there will be a shortage of vegetables in the European market, causing the prices to increase, which will in turn force the importers to buy vegetables from elsewhere like Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cyprus, and Spain.
