Thailand’s fruit production is predicted to grow by 3% in 2023, with officials working to improve product quality.
According to Wattanasak Sur-iam, Director-General of the Department of Internal Trade, the harvest this year is expected to grow by 3% to 6.78 million tonnes due to cooler weather from the end of 2022 to early this year. The agency has also held talks with key authorities to investigate ways to better manage supply and monitor the quality of Thai fruits sold to markets worldwide.
Wattanasak stated that the agency is collaborating with the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to undertake 22 initiatives focused on four areas: production, home marketing, overseas marketing, and legal challenges. These measures include inspecting and certifying farmers’ Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) standards, using a contract farming model to pre-purchase fruits, assisting farmers and businesses in distributing their products outside their areas, and arranging for mobile grocery stores to buy and sell fruits during peak season.
The Ministry of Commerce has set an export target of 4.44 million tonnes for fresh and processed fruit goods in 2022, a 10% increase in quantity and value from 4.04 million tonnes worth 263 billion baht in 2022. Until 2023, the ministry also hopes to increase domestic fruit consumption while retaining strong demand from overseas markets such as China.
