The government has set its sights on increasing durian exports this year by 8% to 130 billion baht, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin declared during a visit to Chanthaburi on Saturday.
Output from the eastern province, which is known for its high-quality durians, is poised to contribute to the target, the premier said in a post on his X account.
According to government data, revenues from durian exports in 2023 amounted to 120 billion baht.
Mr Srettha said he had told various ministries to help farmers maintain quality standards and competitiveness.
He said the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives would encourage durian exporters to comply with Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) standards and develop better varieties.
The Ministry of Commerce will address shortages and high prices of cold-storage containers while the Ministry of Labour will oversee the management of migrant workers to accommodate harvest season demand, he added.
The prime minister, accompanied by Deputy Agriculture Minister Chaiya Promma, stopped at the Nuanthongchan orchard in Khlung district where he met local durian growers.
The farmers asked the government to address pressing issues including drought and pest problems and shortages of workers in both the farming and transport sectors.
Mr Srettha said the government would look into the farmers’ concerns and promote durian to meet an expected increase in demand and compete with Vietnam.
He also told officials to ensure that unripe durians are not harvested for sale, to protect the reputation of the Thai “king of fruits” in the international market.
Mr Srettha said the Nuanthongchan orchard was where the Nuanthongchan variety of durian originated. The Nuanthongchan cultivar has been certified as a geographical indication (GI) product, he added.