Commerce Minstry to push Kamala Durian as GI product

BANGKOK, April 24 (TNA) -- The Thai Commerce Ministry is set to push the Kamala Durian from the southern province of Phuket into a another Geographical Indication (GI) product for the province, aiming to help increase income for local farmers. Deputy Commerce Minister Sonthirat Sonthijirawong said that he has ordered Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) officials to inspect the area in accordance to required procedure, in order to quickly register the Kamala Durian from Phuket as a GI product, following two products from the province which have been registers, including the pearl and Phuket pineapple. The ministry has recently discovered that the this species of the king of fruit has a unique trait and could be registered an another GI product of Phuket. The Kamala Durian is quite delicious, where only 4-5 tonnes of the fruit are produced annually during the months of May to June. The ministry beliefs that once the durian is registered an a GI product it would help to increase its price and in turn, help hike local farmers' income. Presently, the Kamala Durian is being sold at about 60 baht per a 2-kilometre fruit, which is extremely cheap, considering that the fruit is of high quality and is in high demand among the Chinese people. (TNA)