The first direct train shipment of Thai durians to China will take place on April 19, according to Chanthaburi Governor Monsit Paisarnthanawat on Saturday.
Durians, mangosteens, and frozen fish will be carried in refrigerated containers from Map Ta Phut in Rayong province to Kunming, Chongqing, and Guangzhou in southern China.
According to the governor, between 700 and 1,000 containers are likely to be delivered to China this year. According to him, a freight train will take three to four days to go from Map Ta Phut to Kunming, four to five days to Chongqing, and five to six days to Guangzhou.
The shipments on April 19 will pave the way for Thai exports to other areas of China as well as European countries having rail linkages to China, according to Monsit. According to him, Pan-Asia Silk Road Co Ltd will provide a “door to door” service connecting Thai durian dealers to fruit marketplaces in China, as well as handle Customs paperwork and other import-export procedures.
The governor stated that the proposal called for 30 refrigerated containers of durians and other food items to be delivered by train from Thailand to China every day, with the number potentially increasing.
Monsit stated at an event to promote exports of durians cultivated in eastern seaboard provinces, including Chanthaburi, a major producer of Thai durians, that the target for this year is to ship up to 120 refrigerated containers every day.
