The government is intensifying efforts to support fruit growers facing labor shortages and disrupted exports amid the ongoing border situation between Thailand and Cambodia. Deputy Government Spokesperson Anukool Pruksanusak said military personnel and well-behaved inmates are being deployed to assist with harvesting longan, which is expected to yield heavily in northern provinces in the coming weeks.
Roughly 10,000 metric tons of fruit from the eastern region have already been distributed through state-led programs. With the harvest season in the East drawing to a close, attention is shifting northward to crops such as longan, mango, lychee, and pineapple. The Ministry of Commerce, working in conjunction with the armed forces and the Department of Corrections, is deploying teams to help reduce labor costs and ensure timely harvests.
To ease supply pressure, Thailand is expanding longan exports to several markets. These include India, where demand is rising; the Middle East, where the fruit is popular during Ramadan; and China, where officials are targeting underdeveloped provincial markets. The move is expected to partially offset losses from reduced trade with neighboring countries.
Domestically, sales channels are also being strengthened. The Ministry of Commerce has partnered with CP ALL Public Company Limited to distribute mangosteen and other fruits through 7-Eleven stores nationwide. So far, 70 metric tons of mangosteen have been sold at 40 baht per kilogram across more than 8,000 locations. The program will soon expand to cover longan and fruit from southern provinces.
Anukool added that contingency plans are in place to manage potential oversupply. These include coordination with the Thai Chamber of Commerce, support for fruit processing factories, and targeted marketing campaigns. The goal is to stabilize prices, protect supply chains, and help farmers earn fair returns during the peak harvest period.
Source: NNT
Government Enhances Assistance for Fruit Farmers Facing Labor Shortages
