China urged to review ban on Thai longan as oversupply pulls down price
The Commerce Ministry instructed agriculture and commerce attachés in Beijing on Sunday to urge Chinese authorities to reconsider the ban on longan shipments from Thailand.
The Department of Agriculture will monitor the fruit’s quality and ensure it meets Chinese standards, Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said.
He added that bilateral talks on the subject will be held towards the end of next week.
Before that, Vice Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Naraphat Kaewthong will lead a team of officials to the North to deal with the drop in longan prices, Jurin said.
He explained that top-grade longan is currently going at 35 to 40 baht per kilo, while the second grade is priced at 30 baht per kilo and the domestic market grade at 20 to 25 baht per kilo.
Jurin said there is also a severe shortage of migrant workers, as they cannot return to their jobs in Thailand due to the Covid-19 crisis. This shortage in the workforce has also affected the operation of longan processing factories.
He added that the ministry is planning to sell the fruit at special prices via the government’s Blue Flag stores as well as via grocery trucks and at petrol stations in a bid to boost domestic consumption.
