One of Thailand’s largest durian exporters has signed an agreement with a Chinese consortium wanting to buy 5,000 containers of fresh and frozen durian. The value of the fresh durian portion alone will likely reach 10 billion baht.
Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Prapat Pothasuthon witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between Queen Frozen Fruit Co, Ltd and a consortium of Chinese state enterprises. The agreement pertains to the exportation of durian to China by Queen Frozen Fruit.
The deputy minister said the agreement affirms orders for Thai durians that will be exported to China, assuring farmers that the fruits will not be in excess supply and sales will remain lucrative.
The Chinese consortium is buying 3,000 containers of fresh durian, worth 10 billion baht, along with 2,000 containers of frozen durian. The consortium of Chinese state enterprises has also expressed interest in buying betel nuts, seafood, rose apples and coconuts.
The Thai Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives will rapidly coordinate with the relevant entities so the goods wanted by the consortium would be exported.
Waranyaphak Simahatthanawekhin, Chairperson of Queen Frozen Fruit Co, Ltd, said Chinese consumers have an appetite for Thai durians, with no less than 600 containers of the fruit being imported into China daily. Durian strains popular with Chinese consumers include Mon Thong, Kan Yao and, more recently, Nam Dam.
The chairperson stressed Thailand has an opportunity to export more varied types of durian if orchard farmers expand their Nam Dam durian cultivation area. She added that her company has already received about 200,000 tonnes of durian orders from China for 2023. (NNT)
