The Cabinet approved new export rules for fresh durian and santol to China, controlling standards from orchard to packing house to boost confidence in Thai fruits.
On 10 Nov 2026 GMT+7, Captain Phatdarasmit Thongsaluaykorn, Deputy Spokesperson of the Office of the Prime Minister, announced that the Cabinet approved a protocol on phytosanitary requirements for exporting fresh durian and santol from Thailand to China. This protocol, between Thailand's Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and China's General Administration of Customs (GACC), sets clear export criteria to ensure compliance with the destination country's standards.
The protocol emphasizes pest control and traceability throughout all processes—from production sites, orchard management, sorting and packing, to preparing export certification documents—to ensure fruits arriving in China meet phytosanitary requirements.
For implementation, farmers and related operators must comply with stipulated criteria including Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Integrated Pest Management (IPM), and packing house management standards, along with maintaining data for traceability.
Additionally, exported fruits must undergo inspection and receive a Phytosanitary Certificate in accordance with relevant criteria. For fresh santol, there is an added requirement to include a certification statement confirming compliance with the protocol and absence of quarantine pests prioritized by China.
These two protocols establish a more systematic framework for exporting fresh durian and santol to China, providing government agencies, farmers, and operators with reference standards to control product quality and safety, and to build trust with trading partners.
The Deputy Spokesperson of the Office of the Prime Minister stated that maintaining fruit standards from orchard to endpoint is vital for international trade, as quality and safety are key concerns for consumers and partners. The joint protocol with China marks another step in developing Thailand's fruit production and export systems to align with international market standards.