Bangkok (VNA) 🧸– Fruit was the most valuable agricultural export of Thailand last year, with total turnover hitting 6.51 billion USD, surpassing the five-year average of 5.86 billion USD and accounting for 22.6% of the total agricultural exports, according to the Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO).

Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, director-general of TPSO, attributed this success to rising demand in global markets, and increasing popularity because of Thai fruit's high quality, variety and unique flavours. Thailand earned 5.15 billion USD in revenue from exporting fresh fruits in 2024. Key exports included durian, longan, mangosteen, young coconut and mango. China was the dominant export market, accounting for 97.4% of these shipments, followed by Hong Kong (China), the Republic of Korea, Malaysia and the US. Poonpong said while Thailand's fresh fruit exports are heavily dependent on the Chinese market, increased competition poses challenges, especially for durian. Since 2023, China has allowed imports of Thai durian, but also started permitting imports from Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia, coupled with stricter import regulations. To maintain competitiveness, he said Thailand needs to adapt swiftly and explore new export markets, including the US, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. The Thai Commerce Ministry sets to increase exports by exploring new potential markets, while also supporting value-added processing of agricultural products and preparing strategies to manage fruit production this year, ensuring market stability./.