BANGKOK, June 22 (TNA) – Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chalermchai Sri-on has ordered decisive action against the import of Vietnamese durian fruits to fraudulently cash in on the quotas of Thai durian exports destined for China.
Alongkorn Polabut, adviser to the agriculture minister, said Mr Chalermchai ordered the Department of Agriculture to ask the Royal Thai Police Office, authorities in Chanthaburi province and concerned organizations to take decisive legal action against anyone who imported Vietnamese durian fruits and fraudulently claimed them to be Thai durian for further export to China.
The legal action was necessary to protect the image of Thai durian in China which was a main market of the Thai fruit, Mr Alongkorn said.
As the chair of the Fruit Board, Mr Alongkorn said he convened an urgent meeting with concerned officials this week to plan additional measures to suppress the illicit business.
Yesterday (June 21) officials in Chanthaburi arrested a wholesaler in the eastern province for allegedly importing Vietnamese durian for further export to China under the banner of Thai durian and also with fake certificates of good agricultural practices (GAP) and good manufacturing practices (GMP). The suspect claimed to import 18 tons of Vietnamese durian for processing.
Vietnamese durian was priced at 70 baht per kilogram while exported Thai durian was sold at 160 baht per kilogram. (TNA)
