The first batch of durians exported by air from Thailand has arrived at Nanning Wuxu International Airport in Guangxi, China, following an effort to boost trade between the two countries by air.
The fruit arrived at the airport on a Tianjin Air Cargo flight, which landed roughly two hours after taking off from Bangkok.
"It is good news for durian farmers," said Alongkorn Ponlaboot, adviser to the Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister.
The durian shipment was made possible after Tianjin Air Cargo, a carrier based in China's Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, launched a freight service connecting Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and Bangkok.
The service is expected to boost export by air between China and Thailand, particularly the export of durians, Mr Alongkorn said.
The route followed the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC) decision on April 1 to allow imports of fruits from abroad.
The GACC later approved Nanning Wuxu International Airport in the province as a gateway for imported fruits from Thailand.
Mr Alongkorn said Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chalermchai Sri-on has also told state agencies to boost exports by sea to reduce congestion at overland checkpoints during the durian harvest season.
About 40% of the durian will be exported by land, while about 5% will go through the China-Laos high-speed railway and by air.
This batch of durian was intentionally harvested for export via air, which reduces the risk of damage to the fruit during transfer. That's less likely to happen during transport by land and sea.
The speed with which the durian can reach the Chinese market will also help ensure the freshness of the durian, which are in high demand among Chinese consumers.
Currently, the airport also has quality-checking facilities for live and frozen aquatic food, which could further boost trade between Southeast Asia and China.
