Thailand tightens food safety rules as fruit exports to China face more checks

THAILAND – Thailand’s government is stepping up efforts to keep its fruit exports flowing to China by enforcing stricter food safety rules and increasing lab testing capacity for harmful substances.

On 28 April, a top-level committee managing fruit exports met to address recent concerns surrounding the presence of chemicals in fruits sent to China.

Agriculture Minister Narumon Pinyosinwat said the group agreed to improve food safety efforts, with a strong focus on keeping chemical residues out of exported durians, longans, and mangoes.

“The ministry will see to it that the fruit quality and safety meet standards,” Narumon said.

This push comes after Chinese authorities found traces of Basic Yellow 2 (BY2), a banned dye, in a shipment of Thai durians. In response, China tightened its import rules, putting pressure on Thailand to guarantee cleaner fruit exports.

To help meet these demands, the Thai committee also decided to keep a record of trusted fruit brokers who follow safe collection practices. So far, 307 brokers across the country have been listed. This list serves as a reference for Chinese importers looking for trusted partners.

Officials are also focusing on the upcoming May and June harvest season, which brings higher fruit volumes. Agencies have been told to monitor water use, carry out regular lab tests, and educate farmers on weather events like droughts and storms that can harm fruit quality.

“We’re taking steps to manage both natural risks and ensure that no harmful chemicals are present in the fruits,” said Narumon.

Lab expansion approved by China

In a related development, China has approved seven more laboratories in Thailand to test for BY2 and cadmium. This brings the total number of certified testing centers to ten.

Narumon explained that the Agriculture Department asked China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) to approve the labs so Thailand could test more fruit samples during the durian export season. Chinese officials approved five new labs and re-certified two others after meetings held on 10 April.

“With China’s approval, Thailand now has a total of ten laboratories authorised to conduct BY2 testing. This capacity is expected to be sufficient to handle the high volume of durian exports anticipated in late April and May,” Narumon said.

These labs officially began testing on 14 April, just in time for the peak export period.

With more testing sites and stricter food safety policies now in place, Thai officials hope the country’s fruit trade with China can continue without disruption.

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