China’s customs authorities have opened the Dongxing border gate in Guangxi region, which is close to Vietnam, for fruit imports from Thailand.
Department of Agriculture Director-General Phichead Wiriyaphaha said the opening of the Dongxing border gate is great news for Thai fruit farmers and exporters, especially during the durian season in April and May.
He said China is one of the major importers of Thai fruits, ordering up to 22 varieties worth more than Bt100 billion annually. In the first four months of this year, Thailand has exported 216,000 tons of durian worth more than THB21.6 billion to China.
The Director-General said once the Dongxing gate is opened, the department expects the export of durian to rise significantly. The department is also planning to boost personnel for issuing certificates of quality to speed up the export of fruit. China now requires Thai fruits to either come from farms that have been given good agriculture practices or GAP certification or processed at good manufacturing practices (GMP) certified facilities. (NNT)
