BANGKOK, Jan 20 (TNA) — The Department of Agriculture is convincing fruit exporters to meet standards for their produce and packaging processes and about 500 operators have agreed to cooperate.
Sermsuk Salakpetch, director-general of the department, said the Office of Agricultural Research and Development Region 6 in Chanthaburi province was speeding up its procedures to issue Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and phytosanitary certificates for eastern fruit exporters.
Those who exported eastern fruits including durian, mangosteen, longan and mangos destined for China had to undergo the certification processes before their crop season, from March to July, Ms Sermsuk said.
Fruit-packaging operators in the East were convened to learn about the certification because China required GAP and GMP, she said.
Over 500 operators in the East already entered the GMP process and their participation should facilitate fruit exports and improve the image of Thai fruits, Miss Sermsuk said. Her department also presented honorary certificates to the fruit-packaging factories that met GMP in the East so that they would set good examples for other factories, she said. (TNA)
