THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Indonesia opens door to Thai butterfly pea exports

 Indonesia opens door to Thai butterfly pea exports

Thai growers have been given the green light to export butterfly pea flowers to Indonesia, where they can fetch Bt4,000 per kilogram.


The Department of Agriculture (DoA) requested access to the Indonesian market at the end of December, also asking the Indonesian Agricultural Quarantine Agency (IAQA) for technical information on pest-risk analysis for the flowers.


DoA director-general Sermsuk Salakphet confirmed on Friday (May 1) that Indonesia will accept shipments of Thai dried butterfly pea flowers from this month onwards.


Interested businesses must have a phytosanitary certificate issued by the Department of Agriculture attached with the product for export. Products must not be contaminated with live insects, pests, weeds, soil, roots, or materials that can carry pests. They must be oven-dried at a temperature of 50-60 degrees Celsius for 8-10 hours and packaged in a labelled container for verification.


Thailand already exports dried butterfly pea flowers to countries including Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea and Malaysia. In Australia, Thai butterfly pea flowers have an export value of up to Bt4,000 per kilo. The blue and purple flowers are mainly used to make tea and to dye sticky rice.

Indonesia opens door to Thai butterfly pea exports

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