BANGKOK, Nov 30 – The first shipment of rose apples was exported to Malaysia through Padang Besar checkpoint in Thailand’s southern province of Songkhla, ending a two-year ban, a Thai agriculture official said today.
Damrong Chirasuthat, director general of the Agriculture Department, said the exported fruit was subject to strict examination and registration under the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) required by the Malaysian government.
Thai rose apples were banned in Malaysia since October 2010 after the authorities found bactrocera correcta insects in shipments from Thailand.
Thai and Malaysian agriculture officials met last year and agreed that rose apples destined for Malaysia must be produced by GAP and GMP-registered farms while the Malaysian quarantine checkpoint will strictly examine farm produce from Thailand.
Mr Damrong said Malaysian agriculture officials inspected a rose apple orchard in Damnern Saduak district of Ratchaburi in October last year, after which talks resumed and the Malaysian officials agreed to try their best to facilitate imports of the Thai fruit.
Thailand’s exported 4,570 tonnes of rose apples to Malaysia between January 1 and October 1, 2010, shipments that were worth 22.8 million baht.
