The Ministry of Commerce is advancing Thai fruits to the global market, recently partnering with a well-known Chinese influencer for on-site promotion. "Thai Aromatic Coconut" Aiming to expand the market and reinforce the brand image Land of Tropical Fruits Reported continuous export growth in Q1 2026, bringing in over 10 billion baht in national revenue.
Ms. Sunanta Kangwankulkij, Director-General of the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) assigned Mr. Pornwich Sila-on, Deputy Director-General of DITP, to visit Ratchaburi Province to promote Thai fruit image in the Chinese market and welcome a delegation from the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Commerce Department of the People’s Republic of China, along with Mr. Tong Yuhui, a famous Chinese influencer with over 39 million followers, at Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, Ratchaburi. The event also included Mr. Prakarn Kodamrong, Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce, the Thai Aromatic Coconut Association, and local government agencies on 19 May 2026.
Mr. Pornwich revealed that the Ministry of Commerce, through DITP, has discussed ways to expand Thai–Chinese economic cooperation, including opportunities for Thai fruit exports to China, while promoting the unique identity and quality of “Thai Aromatic Coconut” as well as the process of registering geographical indications (GI) to build trust among Chinese consumers regarding Thai product standards and quality.
Additionally, the delegation visited Damnoen Saduak Floating Market to film and promote Thai fruits, especially Thai aromatic coconuts, aiming to increase recognition and popularity in the Chinese market under the ASEAN fruit linkage project to the Guangxi hub. Thailand is the first country filmed before proceeding to Malaysia and Vietnam.
Afterward, the group toured the coconut processing factory of ICoCo Co., Ltd. to study raw material selection, production, and Thai coconut processing innovations, and sampled processed aromatic coconut products such as coconut vermicelli, crispy coconut snacks, and condensed coconut milk.
“The Ministry of Commerce, through DITP, is committed to promoting Thai fruits under the concept ‘THAILAND: THE LAND OF TROPICAL FRUITS’ to create a consistent image and messaging worldwide. Thailand and China are strategic partners ready to grow together. We hope this activity will strengthen agricultural trade cooperation between the two countries and support Thai potential fruits such as durian, aromatic coconut, mangosteen, and longan to expand steadily and effectively in the Chinese market,” said Mr. Pornwich.
According to export statistics for Thai coconut products in the first quarter of 2026 (January–March), the outlook is bright with notable data as follows:
Total export volume: 320,862 tons
Export value: 328 million U.S. dollars (approximately 10,156.87 million baht)
Growth rate: increased by 15.05% compared to the same period in 2025
Product distribution: fresh coconut 23.84%, dried coconut 0.16%, and processed coconut 76.00%
Top five export markets are the United States (31.95%), China (30.46%), Australia (6.30%), Canada (3.26%), and the United Kingdom (3.04%). Notably, fresh coconut exports to Hong Kong grew by 135.64%, and processed coconut exports to Australia rose by 143.73%.
For more information, interested parties can contact the Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce, at 1169 or visit the websitewww.ditp.go.thand follow international trade opportunities on the platform THAITRADE.COM. Think export, think DITP.
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