Commerce Ministry helps tackling falling pineapple prices

NONTHABURI, June 29 (TNA) - The Commerce Ministry ordered its provincial commerce offices to urgently help pineapple growers in some lower northern provinces distribute a surplus in supplies to factories and consumers in other regions. Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn said that she instructed local officials in the provinces, facing falling pineapple prices to work with pineapple manufacturers to directly buy up the glut of pineapples as its prices have dropped to 4.50-5 baht per kilogram. Commerce officials will also help pineapple growers in Nan, Uttaradit and Lampang to find markets to other regions. The authorities are assigned to conduct survey on demand and supply to help pineapple growers better manage their produce properly to prevent the same problem in the future. Meanwhile, as longan produce will be released into the market soon. The ministry contacted a major fruit exporter to buy them. Initially, the company has demand for 3,000 containers of longans for exports to China, India, Myanmar and Cambodia. Commerce officials have surveyed the supply from growers and set up purchase points to facilitate them. (TNA)