Thai durian shipment to China detected with Covid 19 on packaging

After signs of the coronavirus were detected on the surfaces of boxes of Thai durian, the delivery to China was blocked from entering for 3 days. Companies in Thailand’s fruit export industry have been advised to follow strict Covid-19 guidelines.

A shipment of the famous King of Fruits, aka. Durian, from Thailand was reported to be infected at China’s Mohan border, directly on the border of Laos and China, forcing a restriction of transport between Tuesday and Thursday. Covid was discovered on trucks and packaging surfaces. It’s unclear how this came to be and what was done to discover the infection.

Suthee Thongyaem, the governor of Chanthaburi in eastern Thailand, has ordered fruit traders to cooperate with disease control measures and employees must keep testing for Covid-19.

“Routine Covid checks of employees must be done by authorities before any shipments are done. If there is an infection, a three day pause is advised.”

The provincial disease control committee is stepping in and will authorise the closure of some of the packing facilities and take the required precautions to contain the alleged infection.

Thailand’s Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Chalermchai Sri-on, has stepped in…

“Several agencies must strengthen Covid 19 regulations to prevent future problems, especially durians being stopped from being imported to China.

Roughly 25,000 tonnes of durian, or 4% of total production, is being sent to China, requiring strict rules and regulations, according to the director of the Agricultural Research and Development Office in Region 6, Chonlatee Numnoo.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post