The Commerce Ministry and food exporters dismissed reports that Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, is dropping a Thai coconut milk brand over allegations of forced monkey labor, insisting that such practices have long been prohibited in the country.
The director-general of the Department of International Trade Promotion, Phusit Ratanakul Sereroengrit, stated that he had already requested information from Thai Trade Centers in the United States, which have frequent contact with large importers and distributors there. He later confirmed that Walmart continues to import and sell Thai-made goods and maintains a normal trading relationship with Thailand.
According to Phusit, it is common practice for retailers around the world to replace or remove certain products from their shelves during certain periods to meet seasonal consumer demand.
The Thai Food Processors Association has released a statement and information regarding Thailand’s coconut plantations and harvests, reiterating that export-oriented industries do not use monkey labor.
Visit Limlurcha, honorary president of the Thai Food Processors Association, insisted that there is no forced monkey labor used to harvest coconuts for commercial purposes, noting that Thai farmers have long been using tools to harvest coconuts.
According to the Commerce Ministry, coconut milk exports earned Thailand 4.4 billion baht in 2021, a 10 percent increase from the previous year, with the United States, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa serving as key export markets. (NNT)
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