id the canopy of a 15m high tree, his partner below deftly catching the thorny-shelled projectile with a gunny sack.
Appetite for Thai durians has spiked even through the Covid-19 pandemic, earning Thailand the title of top durian exporter in the world. But some are wary of a"durian bubble". "With harvest season happening only once a year, durian farmers have a lot to lose if demand for durian exports falls," said Ms Patchaya Khiaophan, vice-president of marketing for the Thai Durian Association , who is also a durian farmer.
Monthong durians, especially the bigger ones like this 5kg durian, are mostly exported overseas to China. ST PHOTO: TAN TAM MEI Driven by durians' strong export demand and high returns, almost 80 per cent of farmers in Chanthaburi have changed from planting rubber trees to durian plants, said environmentalist Somnuck Jongmeewasin, noting a similar trend in other major crop industries like cassava.
"They're not just testing the workers, they're also swabbing the durian and all surfaces," said Ms Patchaya, adding that the worldwide shortage of freight containers has also affected exporters. Exporter Tai Yang Shen said it lost some two million baht in April when the virus was detected onboard the ship used for one of its durian shipments.
The TDA is certain the railway will become one of the main export routes in the future, but there are still several teething issues, said Ms Patchaya. Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chalermchai Sri-on last month urged growers to increase cultivation of quality durian, adding that there would be no oversupply problem over the next decade, reported The Nation.
straits_times 1. only 3 provinces produce 65% of all high q durian other very limited supply 2. 600ล้ง fr china lock order 3. local consum up 5x to 500,000 tons