Thailand Imports More Fruits And Vegetables From China

BANGKOK, November 30 (TNA) - Active trading has been observed at the Chiang Khong Port in Thailand's northern Chiang Rai Province, where steady shipments of fresh vegetables and fruits from China have been destined to meet rising domestic demand, as the flooding situation in vast Thai areas has been returning to normal. According to official figures released by the Chiang Khong customs checkpoint, over 500 tonnes of fruits and vegetables have been imported from China daily from October-November 2011, an over 100 per cent year-on-year surge. They include kale, peas, tomato, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, lotus roots, grape, apple and pear. Most of the imported fruits and vegetables at the Chiang Khong Port have been shipped from southern China as substitutes for locally-grown fruits and vegetables damaged by deep floodwater in Thailand's lower northern and central regions, including some parts of Bangkok and its peripheral provinces. Local traders said that the imported Chinese fruits and vegetables have been marketed nationwide, particularly in the flood-receding high-demand areas, acknowledging that part of the imported fruits and vegetables will also serve local consumers during the approaching New Year celebrations countrywide. (TNA)