BANGKOK — Thailand’s durian export industry is in a serious crisis after more than 100 containers were rejected by China because the test results for the carcinogenic dye “Basic Yellow 2” (BY2) were missing. The rejected durians have been sent back and are being sold on the “Talad Thai” market, resulting in a price drop from the initial purchase prices of 230-240 baht/kg to only 110-120 baht/kg, forcing exporters (known as “long”) to stop buying.
The General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) reported the detection of Basic Yellow 2, a substance classified by the WHO as a Group 2B carcinogen, in Thai durian exports. China now requires all Thai durian shipments to be accompanied by a test report confirming the absence of BY2 and cadmium.
In addition, spot checks will be carried out at entry points by land, sea and air. If residues are found, imports will be suspended immediately. The regulation has been in effect since January 10, 2025.
The Thai Durian Association stated that several export associations have issued a ban on the use of such chemical additives in the production of durians for export in order to comply with Chinese standards and restore consumer confidence. However, China has adjusted its inspection procedure and extended the duration of inspections from one week to a longer period.
The Chinese authorities carry out strict checks for BY2 and cadmium on durians from Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia. While Vietnam has a laboratory that can test for BY2, imported shipments in China require additional testing, which takes about seven days. This delay is expected to cause congestion at border checkpoints and ports as more than 50% of durian shipments from these countries are now being tested.
“China is currently randomly inspecting more than 50 percent of durian shipments from Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, with the process taking up to seven days.”
A source from a large packing plant told Prachachat Business that the entire durian export system is in chaos. About 100 containers sent to China before January 10, 2025 for Chinese New Year (January 26-28) were rejected due to lack of BY2 test results and had to be sent back.
Waiting for the Chinese authorities to conduct their own BY2 tests would take 7-9 days, with no guarantee that the labs would be able to complete the tests in time. This delay could significantly affect sales during the Chinese New Year, when durian prices usually peak. The financial loss from the rejections is estimated at 500 million baht, with each container worth about 5 million baht.
Returned durians, which are often overripe, may have to be sold domestically at reduced prices. If they are too ripe, they may have to be sold to cold storage for further processing at even lower prices.
“We are currently in a difficult situation. The rejected durians have to be sold at a loss, about 110-120 baht/kg. When they are overripe, the price drops further to 60-80 baht/kg when they are sold for cold storage processing. This crisis coincides with the off-season when production is low. Many exporters had already bought durians for Chinese New Year sales at high prices, around 230-240 baht/kg, and paid 30 percent upfront to farmers. Now the price has dropped to 130 baht/kg, but all exporters have stopped their purchases and are waiting for clarity and complete documentation,” the source said.
Thai Labs Can Test BY2 for 3,000 baht per Sample
Sanchai Puranachai, president of the Thai Fruit Traders and Exporters Association, explained that China strictly checks for BY2 residues on all shipping routes. The Customs Department in Kunming has confirmed that Thai and Vietnamese durians must be tested for the light alkali yolk (BY2) from January 10, 2025. The results are expected within seven days, while the entire export process will take around 18 days.
The Chinese protocol provides for a three-stage enforcement:
- First Violation: Warning and return of the shipment.
- Second Violation: Another warning with the shipment returned.
- Third Violation: Complete destruction of the shipment within seven days.
“Following the Fruit Board meeting, measures were established to ensure durian exports can proceed. Testing companies confirmed they could issue certification within 10 working days if no BY2 is detected. However, if Chinese authorities retest and find BY2, both the packing facility and inspection officers will face penalties,” said Sanchai.
The Department of Agriculture announced that AMARC, one of the 22 accredited laboratories in Thailand, can start issuing BY2 test reports from January 17, 2025. The tests will take three days and cost THB 3,000 per sample. The allowable limit for BY2 set by China is a maximum of 2 parts per billion (ppb).
Fruit Board Orders 100% Testing of Durian Exports
Narumon Pinyosinwat, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, confirmed that the Fruit Board has ordered a 100 percent inspection of all Thai durian exports for BY2, cadmium, durian mites and sulfur dioxide contamination in longans. Violations will be penalized under the new Ministry of Agriculture guidelines.
Officials will also be dispatched to inspect packing plants in Chumphon and Nakhon Si Thammarat, where the harvest season is approaching. The Ministry of Agriculture plans to carry out stricter quality checks within the next 10 days to restore confidence in Thai durians.
Minister Narumon will visit China with the Prime Minister from February 5-7, 2025 to discuss the durian export crisis with the GACC. Chinese authorities have recently tightened controls on Thai fruit, according to export data from January to November 2024, when Thailand exported 1.817 million tons of fresh fruit worth 177.131 billion baht to China.
The Department of Agriculture also announced new measures under the 2025 Regulation on the Prevention of Prohibited Substances in Fresh Durians Exported to China, which have come into effect on January 10, 2025:
- Proper use of chemicals: only authorized chemicals in appropriate quantities according to the regulations of the Thai Ministry of Public Health or the Hazardous Substances Act B.E. 2535.
- Use of prohibited substances: If found in the packaging facility, the export license may be revoked.
- Suspected use: If a prohibited substance is suspected, the facility must send the products for laboratory analysis before receiving phytosanitary certification.
In 2024, Thailand exported 101,884 containers (1.824 million tons) of fruit worth 134.954 billion baht to China, a decrease compared to previous years. Durian exports accounted for 52,960 containers (824,777 tons) worth 88.806 billion baht.
Longan exports amounted to 15,102 containers (375,327 tons) worth 16.018 billion baht ($3.9 billion). The ministry also announced plans to open the Philippine market to Thai longan to expand export opportunities.
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