Threat from contaminated fruit and vegetables from China part of a wider problem

[webfact]

Industry Minister Pimphattra Wichaikul has ordered the Customs Department to step up checks on imports from China. The plan is to ensure that all Chinese imports meet Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) requirements. It comes with rising concerns about cheap imported fruit and vegetables from China contaminated with pesticides.

Contaminated Chinese imports threaten Thai markets. Shift from China to India ahead. The Thai retail and manufacturing sector is under pressure from tainted imports. Government urged to tighten oversight. Manufacturing and agriculture are at risk.

Thailand is making plans to shift its trade focus away from China and towards India in the longer term. It comes as news emerged this week of contaminated fruit and vegetables being dumped on Thai markets from China. Many of the substandard products are for sale at a fraction of the cost offered by Thai producers and farmers.

 

Similarly, Thailand’s manufacturing sector especially in fashion and furniture, is being decimated by China. Recent figures show only a 30-45% utilisation of factory capacity in these sectors. The current predicament raises sharp questions about the Thai government’s trade and economic development policies over the last ten years. In short, these can be directly linked to the challenges being faced today by farmers and small business concerns.

 

A top official with the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) is sounding the alarm over pesticide-contaminated fruit and vegetable imports from China and other bordering countries.

 

He is urging the government to enhance scrutiny of produce from neighbouring countries to safeguard consumer health. In particular, there is concern about escalating imports from China.

 

by Joseph O' Connor

 

Full story: Thai Examiner.com 2024-03-12

 

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[flyingtlger]

Can't trust chinese products, PERIOD!

[SAFETY FIRST]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Contaminated Chinese imports

 

contaminated fruit and vegetables

 

substandard products

I see Makro selling Chinese fruit and vegetables, always looks in poor condition.

I avoid most Makro fruit and vegetables. 

I buy from the market, occasionally from Big C. 

 

 

Edited March 11 by SAFETY FIRST

[quake]

This comes to mind, when it comes to chemicals in fruit and veg.

 

[cncltd1973]

DHT is prolific among Chinese farmers, many of whom don't know how much to use or how to apply.

[JensenZ]

2 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

I see Makro selling Chinese fruit and vegetables, always looks in poor condition.

I avoid most Makro fruit and vegetables. 

I buy from the market, occasionally from Big C. 

 

 

Big C is a huge seller of Chinese produce. You probably don't notice as there is nothing poor about the condition. Obviously, pesticides keep produce looking good - which is the point of using them. Pesticides don't ruin the taste.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand is making plans to shift its trade focus away from China and towards India in the longer term. It comes as news emerged this week of contaminated fruit and vegetables being dumped on Thai markets from China. Many of the substandard products are for sale at a fraction of the cost offered by Thai producers and farmers.

How about sorting out the pesticide riddled Thai produce that we see in the markets?

[hotchilli]

28 minutes ago, JensenZ said:

Big C is a huge seller of Chinese produce. You probably don't notice as there is nothing poor about the condition. Obviously, pesticides keep produce looking good - which is the point of using them. Pesticides don't ruin the taste.

Just your health... but hey.

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

Can't trust chinese products, PERIOD!

Thai farmers are not as pure white as the driven snow either.

[JensenZ]

18 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Just your health... but hey.

I eat a lot of Chinese carrots etc.  The point I was attempting to make is that you cannot detect Chinese fruit and vegetables by looking at them - they look good, and you can't detect them by taste - they taste good. Chinese carrots taste better than most Australian carrots I've bought. The fruit also tastes good. The way to detect Chinese is by price - they are much cheaper.

 

Do you think that Chinese produce is more contaminated than Thai produce? If so, where is your proof? It's the competition on price that is upsetting Thai farmers and distributors.

[worgeordie]

I thought  imports of all fruit and vegetables ,not just from China 

has to have a health certificate from exporting country ,then given

a random check here at the port of entry, that  must not be happening   

 

regards worgeordie

[mfd101]

16 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

I thought  imports of all fruit and vegetables ,not just from China 

has to have a health certificate from exporting country ,then given

a random check here at the port of entry, that  must not be happening   

 

regards worgeordie

And the 'health certificate' from the exporting country would be thoroughly reliable?

[rwill]

I read an article several years ago about Chinese owning over 50% of the large farms in Thailand using proxies.

[worgeordie]

8 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

And the 'health certificate' from the exporting country would be thoroughly reliable?

From China ....no , but it seems checking on the Thai side is not much better...

 

regards Worgeordie

[Presnock]

1 hour ago, worgeordie said:

I thought  imports of all fruit and vegetables ,not just from China 

has to have a health certificate from exporting country ,then given

a random check here at the port of entry, that  must not be happening   

 

regards worgeordie

Yeah, on YouTube currently running is about the DONGSA power plant in Laos - check it out as it has reportedly polluted fields, mountains, waters, people in Northern Thailand.  From this program, they indicate that there are no restrictions in the construction of this kind of power plant using the dirtiest  coal available.   Mercury is the pollutant.  Can't argue with the facts from this program.  Scary and definitely changes my opinion about the mountains in the north.

[John Drake]

What did Thais expect to happen once they turned to China for most of their economic problems?

[daveAustin]

China just keeps on giving to the world, hey! Where would mankind (sorry, Justin, peoplekind) be without them!

Saying that, the Thais are not squeaky clean with their pesticide use either. 

[digger70]

3 hours ago, worgeordie said:

I thought  imports of all fruit and vegetables ,not just from China 

has to have a health certificate from exporting country ,then given

a random check here at the port of entry, that  must not be happening   

 

regards worgeordie

What are the import regulations for food in Thailand?

A “food importer” must obtain a license from the Food and Drug Administration in accordance with section 15 of the Food Act, B.E. 2522 (1979) which provides that “no one may import food for sale except receiving a license from the authority.

 

It's like Anything else  Money Talks  No Donations  ,Bad Service next time

[Barnet1900]

Where does air pollution come from when the squeaky clean Thai farmers have a burn up?

 

Hardly angelic are they? If they could use anything to enhance sales they would. They just can't keep up with them.

 

Another example of being outdone by a nation that they can't compete with. China has flooded the worldwide market with cheaper goods that in turn make it affordable to purchase such goods. Without them the greedy bs worldwide would have a party.

 

Thailand wants the hand to feed them yet not take a bit for themselves. Not going to happen. The Chinese are no mugs. They knew exactly what they were getting from nations like Thailand. Too late to throw your toys out the pram now. 

 

Dear PM, we want you to tell China to stop selling goods cheaper than us....

As if he'll do anything.

[john donson]

when 7/11, makro, tesco, big c are all in hands of a few...

 

you think villa market, tops don't buy from same source?

[curlylekan]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

the Thai government’s trade and economic development policies over the last ten years

Remind me who was primarily in office during that time? Wasn't that party/person/entity taking over for the good of the Thai people? (Sarcasm) o like he scammed some millions of people, yet no military to chase him out of office.

[observer90210]

If it was only the fruit and veggies from China that were potentially contaminated, it would be a different story. Practically all chinese cheap goods that come in via Shein or similar online webstores, have issues that can be a safety hazard.

[Gknrd]

And *joke of the day:

[liddelljohn]

Most Chinese Fruit i have tasted has no taste or flavour ,, looks good  but all bland ,,, so  a fail in my eyes.  Mind you USDA American beef has no flavour either ,,