Meanwhile, Vietnamese exporters have been struggling to ship the fruit over the border this year after China began 100% inspection of durian imports to keep out banned chemicals.
The swift decisions by Thailand means its exporters have earned the approval of Chinese customs on durian quality, allowing it to maintain its position as the top durian exporter to the world’s biggest market.
Thailand exported US$287 million worth of the fruit to China in the first four months as against Vietnam’s $130 million.
Its Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives rolled out a “4 no’s” policy for durian in January: no immature fruits, no pests, no fakes, and no banned dyes or substances.
The policy addressed China’s new standards on banned substances including Basic Yellow 2, a chemical which has the potential to cause cancer.
Following this, Thai packing plants underwent rigorous inspections and disinfection, with strict Basic Yellow 2 checks, with violators seeing their licenses withdrawn immediately.
Nearly 300 testing labs were mobilized to verify safety, and the fruit then went through a second check at labs accredited by Chinese customs before shipment.
By April 10 testing centers in Thailand had received approvals for Basic Yellow 2 tests from Chinese customs, which helped speed up clearance during Thailand’s harvest season.
To further enhance the appeal of what is still an expensive fruit, the Thai government took the initiative to start negotiations with China.
In February agriculture minister Narumon Pinyosinwat joined Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on a visit to China to advocate for agricultural exports, including durian.
The trip is acknowledged as key to gaining Chinese customs’ approval and support.
Thailand also ramped up exports to China through a Vietnamese border gate: In the last week of April six containers with 96 tons of Thai durian were delivered to China’s Guangxi region through Cao Bang Province.
This is the shortest route for Thai goods to enter China and reduces shipment costs and time.
Chinese customs even set up a dedicated green lane at the gate, operating round-the-clock, to facilitate the Thai shipments.
There are now six border gates in Guangxi to clear Thai fruits.
“Thailand sends around 500 durian containers daily (10,000 tons) through Chinese border gates with minimal rejections,” Dang Phuc Nguyen, secretary-general of Vietnam’s Vegetable and Fruit Association, said.
Vietnam struggles with chemical residues, leading to frequent technical warnings and clearance delays, he said, adding that its efforts to increase traceability are not enough.
“Thailand tightly controls its durian quality from farm to processing facility, gaining China’s trust and prompting it to open green lanes.”
Nguyen also applauded Thailand’s inter-ministerial coordination.
After the agriculture ministry finalized technical agreements, the commerce ministry organized fairs and online sales with Chinese celebrities taking part to drive consumer demand, he said.
“Vietnam’s durian season is near. Without changes, we will lose more market share to Thailand.”
Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy recently directed all related agencies to work with Chinese customs to resolve the technical problems.
He called for prioritizing issue of farm codes, approval of packing facilities and accreditation of labs to test durian quality.
A durian-specific phytosanitary protocol is set to be issued soon to evaluate export potential and refine strategies.
Duy called in the long run for stronger agricultural export laws with clearer rules on farm codes, packing facilities, testing, and inspections.
His ministry aims to standardize technical processes, restructure the durian industry and promote value-added products like frozen durians to reduce dependence on the fresh market.
It is drafting guidelines for farm codes and packing facilities and establishing quality and safety programs for durian export.
