Despite the impact of the climate on Thai durian production this year, sales of durian produced in the east reached a record high, which could serve as a model for farmers and exporters in the south of Thailand when the annual harvest begins on June 10 and continues through October.
Nuttakrit Oranhirunrak, vice president of the Thai-Chinese Agribusiness Association in Chanthaburi Province, said Thailand is expected to export more durian to China than in other years. From the start of the harvest season until June 10, 2023, a total of 33,000 containers of durian were shipped to China. The current figure is already much higher than that of 3 years ago, which was 15,000 containers.
The eastern part of Thailand, where the durian is grown, has to deal with climatic difficulties that lead to an irregular shape of the durian. If the climate is good and the durian has a regular good shape, it is expected that Thailand could export up to 35,000 or 40,000 containers of durian.
The average selling price of durian from the eastern region has risen to 130 baht per kilogram, satisfying farmers and market operators as this is the highest selling price ever recorded. Some durian such as the Kadumthong are selling for 300 baht per kilogram, reaching the highest price. For the famous Monthong and Phuang Mani, the selling prices are 250 baht per kilogram.
Thapakorn Chanya, 29, a former engineer turned durian middleman, also known as Lhong, for the Jaepare-Herewat durian, said the price has risen sharply this year. He said that 3 years ago, the selling price was 90 baht per kilogram. This year, the average price started at 100 baht and last month the average price reached 200 baht per kilogram, the highest record.
For him, the rising price is due to the quality of durian. He said that his company is stricter in exporting durian to China to ensure that customers get high quality and tasty durian, which leads to higher demand, which then affects the selling prices as the demand is greater than the supply. He added that the fact that his exported durians are of good quality and bring him profits increases his will to work.
For next year’s harvest season, he wants government assistance with logistics and the market. He wants the government to help set ceiling prices for logistics to ensure that the charges to farmers, exporters and those in the logistics sector are reasonable and that no one in the system is overcharged. He added that it would be ideal to be able to control prices at a reasonable rate throughout the production period.
The cumulative export of fresh durian from Thailand to China from January to May amounted to 480,000 tonnes, worth nearly 63 billion baht, according to the Department of Agriculture.
Using the success of the Chanthaburi Model, the officials advised farmers and exporters in the south of Thailand to implement quality control at the point of production and export screening.
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