BANGKOK (The Nation/Asia News Network): Demand for Thai durian in China is still strong, an exporter said on Friday (Dec 30) dismissing rumours that orders had dropped due to a spike in Covid-19 infections in the mainland.
“The price and orders of durian are not dropping as some have speculated,” said Thanes Sangthaworn, general manager at Chumphon’s Morakot Central Fruit Market.
“Chinese importers are actually ordering more to build their stocks ahead of the Chinese New Year, which falls on Jan 22, when consumption of the fruit is expected to soar.”
Thanes said that due to the high demand, the price of Thai durian has risen across the board compared to the previous week.
For instance, Mon Thong durians of AB and ABC grades are now going for 160 baht and 140 baht per kilogram respectively, up from 140 baht and 120 baht per kilo from last week. Grade C Mon Thong now goes for 110 baht/kg instead of 100 baht/kg last week.
“With the price rising 50 baht/kg on average, durian is still a very lucrative crop for farmers in the South,” he added.
Thanes reckons the export of durian to China will see fewer obstacles next year as China announced this week that it will scrap quarantine measures for overseas arrivals from Jan 8, as well as downgrade Covid-19 from a Class A to Class B infectious disease.
The Commerce Ministry estimates the total output of durian in the South this year will stand at 600,000 tonnes, 80% of which has already been sold locally and overseas. December marks the end of the harvest season for durian in the South and consumers have to wait until late February when durian farms in the East enter harvest season.
