Itthi Sirilathayakorn, deputy minister of Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, said exports were resumed on Monday, with 96 tons of durian worth 7.8 million baht (US$228,900) to be shipped to China on Monday and Tuesday via border channels in Nakhon Phanom and Chiang Rai.
The shipments underwent stringent screening and certification to comply with China’s tougher import standards, The Bangkok Post quoted Itthi as saying.
Basic Yellow 2, also known as Auramine O, is a coloring chemical typically used in fabrics, paper, leather, and house paint. It is classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans.
Traces of the chemical were detected in some Thai durian shipments in late 2024, prompting China to enforce tougher import requirements earlier this month, including the newly added testing for the chemical.
At the time, customs checkpoints across China were instructed to reject durian shipments lacking the lab test results certifying that the fruit was free of the chemical, as reported by Thai newspaper The Nation.
Itthi said the ministry has since enhanced screening measures. As of Jan. 17, On January 17, six laboratories in Thailand were authorized by China customs to conduct Basic Yellow 2 testing, according to the Department of Agriculture. Four more labs are expected to be approved next week, increasing testing capacity to 1,300 samples per day.
Some 100 durian containers from Thailand were reportedly sent back due to the increased scrutiny, according to Khaosod English.
These fruits were being sold at local markets for just 110-120 baht per kilogram, down from their initial prices of 230-240 baht, due to being overripe.
The abrupt shift in import standards similarly left many Vietnamese businesses unable to adapt quickly, leading to delays or returns of durian shipments at the border.
Some companies in Vietnam also had to redirect the durians to the local market, selling them at massive discounts instead of waiting for customs clearance.
China imported 1.53 million tons of durian worth US$6.83 billion in the first 11 months of 2024, up 9.4% in volume and 3.9% in value from a year ago, according to customs data reported by Vietnam Agriculture News.
Thailand accounted for 52% of the shipments, down from 65% a year earlier, while Vietnam’s share grew from 35% to 47% during the same period.
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