Thailand will adopt the Thai good agriculture practice scheme (Thai GAP) approved by the EU as the future standard for its fruit and vegetable exports to ease safety concerns among importers.
Thailand is on the brink of a ban on its fresh fruit and vegetable exports after EU officials found them contaminated with insects. The Thai agriculture department subsequently imposed a ban on the exporters of 16 vegetables in five categories including varieties of basil, chillies and capsicum, aubergines, bitter gourds and parsley from 1 February.
Praphol Milindhachinda, secretary to the commerce minister, warned Thailand risked losing its market share of fresh produce in the EU to competitors such as Brazil and Vietnam.
