Picture courtesy of Amarin

 

Thailand’s syrup industry is facing a severe crisis after China suspended imports, citing quality failures at 10 Thai factories. The Chinese General Administration of Customs (GACC) imposed the temporary ban on 10 December 2024, under two tariff codes, causing major disruptions to exporters and threatening billions of baht in losses and prompting Thai exporters to shift shipments under alternative categories. The new order, effective from Oct 27, bans four additional product codes to cover all forms of syrup, sugar blends and related preparations and freezes new registration applications for Thai producers.

 

Thosaporn Ruangpattananon, President of the Thai Processed Sugar Industry Association, confirmed that the suspension covers two key product categories, syrup (code 170290110) and premixed powder (code 1702901200). The ban followed inspections by GACC officials in July, who found that none of the 10 Thai facilities met China’s hygiene and safety standards.

 

The inspections, coordinated through Thailand’s National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS), assessed clean rooms, sterilisation processes, production zoning, and sanitation. Despite heavy investment by Thai producers, reportedly tens of millions of baht per factory, all failed to obtain Chinese certification. As a result, Thailand’s exporters are now unable to ship syrup or premixed sugar products to China, their largest market.

 

Thosaporn said that after the December 2024 suspension, exporters attempted to continue trade under a different customs code (2106), covering mixed sugars with colouring or additives, which China initially allowed. This workaround kept several hundred shipping containers moving. However, that option has now been closed, leaving only limited exports of refined sugar under strict quotas.

 

The industry body, which represents 47 producers, warned that if the situation persists, most factories will be forced to shut down by year-end, leaving only three to five still operating. Members are now exploring alternative export markets, though Thosaporn admitted this will be extremely difficult given China’s dominance as a buyer.

 

The disruption could ripple through Thailand’s broader sugar economy. The association, one of the country’s largest industrial sugar buyers, purchases about 3.6 million tonnes of sugar annually for processing. Reduced exports to China could sharply cut domestic sugar demand, depressing prices and directly impacting sugarcane farmers across Thailand.

 

Thai authorities have yet to issue an official response or confirm whether bilateral talks will be held to address China’s import standards. The industry is calling for urgent government intervention to resolve the dispute and prevent further economic fallout.

 

Key Takeaways

 

• China suspended Thai syrup and premixed sugar imports after 10 factories failed inspections.

• The export ban has caused losses estimated in the billions of baht and threatens factory closures.

• The crisis could affect sugarcane prices and the wider Thai agricultural economy.

 

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10 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

The industry is calling for urgent government intervention to resolve the dispute and prevent further economic fallout.

Well unless the Chinese "standards" are made up deliberately for the Thai factories to fail I don't see what the government has to do with making the factories fit for purpose? 

43 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

Despite heavy investment by Thai producers, reportedly tens of millions of baht per factory, all failed to obtain Chinese certification. As a result, Thailand’s exporters are now unable to ship syrup or premixed sugar products to China, their largest market.

 

 

This is how China controls countries stupid enough to depend on China's market for survival. Whatever the problems with Thai hygiene and cleanliness, I'd bet it's superior to what goes on in China.

Bit rich coming from the Chinese when they have a huge internal food quality problem with everything from plastic rice to  fake meat. I would be thinking more along the lines of Beijing using its leverage wanting Bangkok into doing its bidding on something unrelated... usual CCP manipulation. 

47 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

 

Picture courtesy of Amarin

 

Thailand’s syrup industry is facing a severe crisis after China suspended imports, citing quality failures at 10 Thai factories. The Chinese General Administration of Customs (GACC) imposed the temporary ban on 10 December 2024, under two tariff codes, causing major disruptions to exporters and threatening billions of baht in losses and prompting Thai exporters to shift shipments under alternative categories. The new order, effective from Oct 27, bans four additional product codes to cover all forms of syrup, sugar blends and related preparations and freezes new registration applications for Thai producers.

 

Thosaporn Ruangpattananon, President of the Thai Processed Sugar Industry Association, confirmed that the suspension covers two key product categories, syrup (code 170290110) and premixed powder (code 1702901200). The ban followed inspections by GACC officials in July, who found that none of the 10 Thai facilities met China’s hygiene and safety standards.

 

The inspections, coordinated through Thailand’s National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS), assessed clean rooms, sterilisation processes, production zoning, and sanitation. Despite heavy investment by Thai producers, reportedly tens of millions of baht per factory, all failed to obtain Chinese certification. As a result, Thailand’s exporters are now unable to ship syrup or premixed sugar products to China, their largest market.

 

Thosaporn said that after the December 2024 suspension, exporters attempted to continue trade under a different customs code (2106), covering mixed sugars with colouring or additives, which China initially allowed. This workaround kept several hundred shipping containers moving. However, that option has now been closed, leaving only limited exports of refined sugar under strict quotas.

 

The industry body, which represents 47 producers, warned that if the situation persists, most factories will be forced to shut down by year-end, leaving only three to five still operating. Members are now exploring alternative export markets, though Thosaporn admitted this will be extremely difficult given China’s dominance as a buyer.

 

The disruption could ripple through Thailand’s broader sugar economy. The association, one of the country’s largest industrial sugar buyers, purchases about 3.6 million tonnes of sugar annually for processing. Reduced exports to China could sharply cut domestic sugar demand, depressing prices and directly impacting sugarcane farmers across Thailand.

 

Thai authorities have yet to issue an official response or confirm whether bilateral talks will be held to address China’s import standards. The industry is calling for urgent government intervention to resolve the dispute and prevent further economic fallout.

 

Key Takeaways

 

• China suspended Thai syrup and premixed sugar imports after 10 factories failed inspections.

• The export ban has caused losses estimated in the billions of baht and threatens factory closures.

• The crisis could affect sugarcane prices and the wider Thai agricultural economy.

 

Related Stories

 

Chicken-exports-surpass-100-billion-baht-despite-challenges

 

Thailand’s-border-trade-slumps-236-in-August

 

 

  Adapted  by  Asean  Now from Amarin 2025-11-08

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are called "non-tarrif barriers. A way for countries to deny imports in order to bypass tarrif agreements. Quality or contaminant issues are the usual method. China is the master!

Shirley the quality and hygiene standards are available.  Shirley it should be possible to confirm the ten facilities did meet the standards.  Shirley is would be super easy, barely an inconvenience, for the Thai government to prove that.

 

Unless the Thai factories did indeed fail to meet standards.

 

Imagine that.

16 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

Shirley the quality and hygiene standards are available.  Shirley it should be possible to confirm the ten facilities did meet the standards.  Shirley is would be super easy, barely an inconvenience, for the Thai government to prove that.

 

Unless the Thai factories did indeed fail to meet standards.

 

Imagine that.

Imagine that China says they don't meet the standard.

12 minutes ago, Des1 said:

Imagine that China says they don't meet the standard.

 

Imagine that, Thailand doesn't deny it, they merely

 

1 hour ago, Georgealbert said:

exporters attempted to continue trade under a different customs code (2106), covering mixed sugars with colouring or additives, which China initially allowed. This workaround kept several hundred shipping containers moving

 

and when that fails

 

1 hour ago, Georgealbert said:

The industry is calling for urgent government intervention to resolve the dispute

 

Easier than actually meeting the standards, I suppose.

34 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

Imagine that, Thailand doesn't deny it, they merely

 

 

and when that fails

 

 

Easier than actually meeting the standards, I suppose.

what I meant is there is not much Thailand can do if the chinese say inspections failed. Many other countries have fallen victim to this method of "economic diplomacy"

So, Thai quality does not fit the Chinese standards quality. 

 

Chinese standards quality, sometimes does not fit the western standards quality, 

 

And so on. 

 

Greed, corruption or incompetence is usually behind crappy goods or produce that fail quality tests. 

1 minute ago, Des1 said:

what I meant is there is not much Thailand can do if the chinese say inspections failed. Many other countries have fallen victim to this method of "economic diplomacy"

 

I'll play along if you can show any evidence of the ten Thailand facilities meeting the hygiene and safety standards.

 

But nobody, not the factory owners, not the industry leaders, not even a single government official is saying this.

 

All appear to agree the standards were not met.

10 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

I'll play along if you can show any evidence of the ten Thailand facilities meeting the hygiene and safety standards.

 

But nobody, not the factory owners, not the industry leaders, not even a single government official is saying this.

 

All appear to agree the standards were not met.

show evidence? sheesh. You are really missing my point. Not going to try to explain any further.

7 minutes ago, Des1 said:

show evidence? sheesh. You are really missing my point. Not going to try to explain any further.

 

Wait, what?

You have a point?

Thailand export is going down and down..they lost almost all rice export because Vietnam took over.The reason for that was the price because thai baht is ridiculous high.Karma is a bitch!

14 hours ago, norsurin said:

Thailand export is going down and down..they lost almost all rice export because Vietnam took over.The reason for that was the price because thai baht is ridiculous high.Karma is a bitch!

What is the Dong doing these days? Uhh.........

22 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

Shirley the quality and hygiene standards are available.  Shirley it should be possible to confirm the ten facilities did meet the standards.  Shirley is would be super easy, barely an inconvenience, for the Thai government to prove that.

 

Unless the Thai factories did indeed fail to meet standards.

 

Imagine that.

 

 

Read and make up your own mind: https://www.thaienquirer.com/62397/china-expands-sugar-import-ban-prompting-calls-for-government-action-and-export-review

I wonder is there anything they actually not fk up...

15 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

I wonder is there anything they actually not fk up...

 

That's not nice.

23 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Thailand’s syrup industry is facing a severe crisis after China suspended imports, citing quality failures at 10 Thai factories.

 

China worrying about food quality... 😂😆😂😆