Thai agricultural exports to China surge 6.1 pct in 2023

BANGKOK, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Thai agricultural exports to China, a major market for the Southeast Asian country's farm products, continued to grow in 2023, expanding 6.19 percent from a year earlier, a Thai government official said on Monday.

The kingdom shipped 387.11 billion baht (about 10.82 billion U.S. dollars) worth of farm products to China last year, accounting for 41.92 percent of its total agricultural shipments, Thai trade representative Narumon Pinyosinwat said.

Fruit exports were the main driver, with a value of 213.59 billion baht, up 26.14 percent from 2022. Fresh durian exports alone totaled 137.47 billion baht, up 29.65 percent year-on-year, government data showed.

Thai authorities are working to further promote agricultural exports to China by opening up new markets for products such as fresh-cut durian and pineapple, Narumon said in a statement.

The Ministry of Commerce is working to facilitate cross-border trade by establishing one-stop service centers for border trade and linking export-import documents through the National Single Window system, she said.

She also noted that the government is committed to using market-led and innovative-driven strategies to increase the value of agricultural products and boost incomes for Thai farmers.