Commerce Ministry tries to stimulate longan consumption

NONTHABURI, Aug 16 (TNA) -- The Commerce Ministry is asking each Thai consumer to eat 10 longan fruits a day as it is trying to cope with about 360,000 tons of the yields from the North. Deputy Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong said that the harvest came from eight northern provinces from late last month to this month and farmers were suffering low prices as Indonesia had just agreed to import Thai longan late last month. The Commerce Ministry was trying to boost local consumption and, to help the northern farmers effectively each consumer should eat 10 longan fruits a day, he said. The Department of Internal Trade and Central Food Retail Co organise fairs to stimulate longan consumption at the Central Plaza WestGate shopping centre in Nonthaburi province from Aug 15 to 21 and at Central Festival Phuket between Aug 17 and 25. There farmers are able to sell their fruits directly to consumers. Other fruits and food products made from processed longan are also available. The Commerce Ministry is also facilitating longan distribution to provinces through fairs by governmental and private organisations. Mr Sontirat said 80% of northern longan yields were reaching local markets and the rest 20% would follow early next month. The quick sales of the yields would be helpful to farmers and provide consumers with fresh fruits, he said. (TNA)