Decharat advises Supachai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, to thoroughly study the durian market before sending confusing signals after a famous influencer plans to sell durians at 100 baht each. He points out that this does not solve the problem and instead worsens farmers' situation.
On 27 April 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Decharat Sukkamned, advisor to the People’s Party, commented following Mrs. Supachai Sutthampan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, engaging a well-known influencer to livestream durian sales at 100 baht per fruit, that the livestream sales at 100 baht per durian, intended by the Ministry of Commerce to open the durian market, have instead caused confusion and concern among durian farmers because the announced price is far below the usual market price and could push down farm-gate prices.
Currently, the durian season is approaching, and farmers are hoping for higher early-season prices to cover increased production costs incurred earlier. The signal we should send to the market is one that supports price increases, such as promoting good-quality durians. The Ministry of Commerce's signal to sell durians cheaper than the market price—even if later claimed to be for lower-grade durians—makes it harder to raise farm-gate prices, especially as production volume rises later.
“Good intentions but sending the wrong or mistimed signals can damage market prices, as seen with durians.”
Therefore, relying on short-term measures like livestreaming sales without understanding the timing will not help the government solve the problem of falling prices for many products this year, since each product has different issues. For example, some products have started to decline in price, and in some areas there are no buyers, such as mangoes in March and April. In such cases, livestream sales and finding transport channels to market help support prices. But the Ministry of Commerce has insufficiently addressed this, causing mango prices to fall to 2-3 baht per kilogram.
For aromatic coconuts, simply promoting fresh consumption is not enough; processing must be increased to absorb surplus production and fair trade systems established. For vegetables like cabbage, onions, and potatoes, farm-gate prices drop if imports flood the market. In such cases, the Ministry of Commerce should control or regulate import volumes to allow farmers' produce to be sold during these periods.
Thus, the Ministry of Commerce, which already has an agricultural product calendar, must prepare and coordinate in advance to set appropriate measures for each product, time period, and target group. Importantly, the Ministry should listen to and consult widely with farmer groups to ensure that measures and signals align with the real situation and target groups, rather than causing farmer anxiety as happened this time.
Mr. Decharat concluded by stating that on Wednesday, 29 April 2026 GMT+7, members of parliament from the People’s Party will join the debate on a motion to resolve agricultural product price problems and assist farmers affected by the Middle East conflict in the House of Representatives. The People’s Party MPs will propose suitable measures to address and prevent price declines for agricultural products both by item and overall.