The Caretaker Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister has sparked an intensive investigation into 12 durian exporters after Chinese authorities detected cadmium in their shipments. Capt Thamanat Prompow has instructed the Department of Agriculture (DoA) to suspend these exporters and initiate thorough probes to trace the contamination back to its source.
Capt Thamanat made it clear that any export agents from Thailand found to be circumventing or forging the Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) certification will face criminal charges. China mandates GAP certification for 22 Thai fruits, durians included, to ensure the highest standards of quality.
As of early this year, a ministry report revealed that Thailand had issued GAP certification to 218,922 farms and 2,038 packaging plants. Capt Thamanat emphasized that these measures are designed to safeguard the quality of Thai agricultural exports, which significantly benefits local economies and communities.
This order followed the discovery of contamination in 16 shipments linked to a minimum of 15 farms and 12 packaging facilities by Chinese authorities. Prompted by this notification, the DoA temporarily halted exports and dispatched officials to various production sites to collect soil, water, and durian samples for cadmium testing.
Phatchayaphon Muenjaeng, the DoA’s deputy director, reported that, upon inspection, cadmium levels were found to be within the standards set by Chinese regulations (0.05 milligrammes per kilogramme). Despite this, he urged durian exporters to submit at least five durians per shipment for cadmium testing between September 2 and September 16.
The submission spot is set at the Talad Morakot Central Fruit Market in Chumphon, and operators will need to cover testing costs, ranging from 800 to 1,200 baht including delivery costs.
Mr. Phatchayaphon confirmed that Chinese authorities have not imposed a ban on Thai durian imports, and both countries will collaborate closely throughout the investigation and any forthcoming mitigation efforts.
Chonlathee Numnoo, president of the Eastern Region Durian Growers Confederation, expressed his surprise and concern over this unprecedented situation. He noted that the exposure of cadmium contamination has tarnished the reputation of Thai durians and called for transparency in the investigation.
In his capacity as an adviser to the House Committee on Agriculture and Cooperation, Mr. Chonlathee vowed to push for the disclosure of the investigation’s findings to the public by Capt Thamanat.
According to the DoA, a staggering 714,334 tonnes of Thai durian, valued at approximately 94 billion baht, has been exported to China so far this year.
It’s ridiculous that an industry as important as this can be jeopardized by a few bad actors. We need stricter regulations!
I agree. But stricter regulations might hurt the farmers more than help. They already have so much on their plates.
Honestly, if farmers can’t meet safety standards, they shouldn’t be in the business. Consumers deserve safe products.
Stricter regulations would indeed be good, but only if they are enforced properly. We’ve seen too many promises and not enough action.
I’m skeptical about this whole situation. How does cadmium even end up in fruit? Sounds like a setup to me.
Cadmium usually comes from contaminated soil or water. It’s a heavy metal, commonly found in industrial areas.
Thanks for the info, Doc. Still seems fishy. Why now, all of a sudden?
Maybe someone’s trying to sabotage Thai exporters? China has their own durian farms too, you know.
Possible, but let’s not jump to conspiracy theories without evidence. Contamination happens, unfortunately.
Sad to hear about cadmium in durians! I hope Capt Thamanat handles this swiftly and transparently.
Absolutely! Transparency is key. People need to trust the safety of their food.
As a farmer, these kinds of scandals make all of us look bad. I can assure you most of us work hard and follow the rules.
It must be tough to see your livelihood threatened by this. Hope it gets sorted out soon.
Well, maybe fellow farmers need to keep a closer eye on their peers. Self-policing might prevent scandals like this.
Government always butting in with their regulations. Let the market decide!
Are you serious? Without regulations, we would have no control over the safety of our food!
FreedomFighter, while free markets are great, they need rules to ensure fairness and safety. Otherwise, chaos!
It’s not just about farmers and exporters. This is about our environment too. Contamination likely points to broader ecological issues.
If China had cadmium problems, we’d never hear the end of it. But now they’re pointing fingers at us.
Good point. I wonder if there’s more to this than meets the eye. Trade war tactics, perhaps?
Let’s not speculate without evidence. We need the full investigation first.
Thai durians are so famous. This scandal will definitely hit the local economy hard. So sad.
Absolutely! Tourists also come for the durians. This will hurt tourism too.
I hope they find the real source of contamination soon. Can’t believe this is happening!
Yeah, it’s shocking. Let’s hope it’s resolved quickly.
I sell to export companies, and I’ve never had issues meeting the standards. This news is both surprising and worrying.
China being strict is probably a good thing. We wouldn’t want them shipping contaminated products to us, right?
Does anyone else feel like this could affect other Thai fruits too? Once trust is lost, it’s hard to regain.
Absolutely. This could have a ripple effect. Other exporters should up their game right away.
Consumers will definitely be more cautious now. We need to rebuild trust step by step.
Can we really trust the GAP certification process now? Seems like it failed to prevent this contamination in the first place.
Valid concern. The whole certification process needs to be re-evaluated!
Totally. Trust is shattered. Time for a better system.
Cadmium is no joke. Long-term exposure can cause serious health problems. We need accountability.
Exactly. This is a public health issue. Heads should roll if negligence is found.