InfoQuest (March 20, 2019) -- According to Ms. Slila Thep Kasetkun, director of Thailand's Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) in Sydney, a Malaysia-born Australia-based farmer, who is also the manager at Tropical Primary Product (TPP), has increased the production of Malaysian durian variety HEW1. The harvested durians are sold in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and other cities, Asian settlements, and retail stores and supermarkets visited by Chinese tourists in Australia.
The DITP in Sydney conducted market survey and found that the fresh durians are sold in markets of Asian settlements, and the durians vary in taste, with large seeds and flabby pulp. Compared with frozen fresh whole durians in Thailand and fresh peeled durians imported from Thailand, the fresh Australian durians are much more expensive. Since the company will keep improving the quality, it is expected that durians of the next season will be better in both taste and quality.
Currently, most durians sold in market are frozen whole durians and quality frozen peeled durians imported from Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam, together with some fresh peeled durians imported from Thailand in durian season. Durians imported from Malaysia are the major competitor of Thai durians, especially varieties Musang King and WEW1. There is still confidence that Thai ones will always be well received. But producers and exporters must pay more attention to the quality and standards of Thai durians to enhance consumer confidence.
Data show that in 2017, Thailand exported frozen durians worth 106.44 million baht to Australia, up 25%. Thailand exported fresh durians worth 10.43 million baht, up 114.11%. Since frozen whole shelled durians may have insects within, they are always cut open in large number for casual inspection, making them less worth being imported. So Thailand exported more peeled durians than whole shelled durians. In January to October, 2018, Thailand exported frozen durians worth 119.07 million baht to Australia, up 21.18%, and exported fresh durians worth 18.46 million baht, up 76.87%.
According to Ms. Slila, currently, fresh vegetables and fruits allowed to be sold in Australia include asparagus, baby corn, pineapple, mangosteen, longan, litchi, tender coconut, durian, and peeled pomelo.
Recently, the 14th Thai-Australia Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Expert Group Meeting, featuring hygienic measures, plant quarantine and food standards, was held in Melbourne. At the meeting, the negotiation between Thailand and Australia turned out to be a success. Australia agreed to import irradiated mangoes from Thailand, and in return, Australia will export irradiated persimmons and avocados to Thailand.
Source: InfoQuest, by Phan / Kasamarporn / Rachada, InfoQuest
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