More Thai fruits to be sold online through Alibaba

BANGKOK, May 24 (TNA) - Alibaba Group Holding Limited (Alibaba), a most established Chinese multinational retail e-commerce conglomerate, has agreed to buy at least additional 3,000 tons of Thai organic durian and other fruits for sale through its online system. Phichet Wiriyapaha, Director-General of the Department of Agriculture Extension, under the Thai Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, told journalists on May 23 that the agreement was set to be officially signed between representatives of the Alibaba group and those of local agricultural cooperatives in the Thai East at the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives in Bangkok in mid-June 2018. Phichet stated that the agreement was unofficially reached during a series of field trips to Thai fruit orchards of members of local agricultural cooperatives in the eastern Rayong, Chantaburi and Trat Provinces during May 21-21 by a visiting Chinese delegation, comprising of top agricultural envoys from Shanghai and representatives of the Alibaba group. "The Chinese delegation thoroughly observed the production and logistics processes of the Thai orchards run by the eastern agricultural cooperatives, covering their management at the orchards and during the collection, grading and packing of fruits, as well as the logistics systems of the eastern Thai fruit orchards, and expressed their confidence in the organic and quality Thai fruits, including durian, mangosteen, longan, coconut and passion fruit, as well as in the management processes based on the internationally-recognized good agricultural practice (GAP)", Phichet explained. Phichet said the Alibaba representatives then discussed with the Thai side on preparations for buying the additional Thai organic fruits and disseminating the information on their best quality through its e-commerce network, Tmall.com, in order to create confidence in the Thai fruits among consumers in China and other areas worldwide. Under the agreement, the senior official revealed, the Alibaba group will initially purchase at least additional 3,000 tons of organic Thai durian, or about 800,000 units, from the eastern Thai agricultural cooperatives, expected to begin early next year. According to the senior official, the agreement is likely to be indicate that each shipment of the Thai fruit should reach China within seven days and both the seller and the buyer sides would accept no more than a 10 per cent loss or damage of the fruit in each consignment, while the Alibaba group will pay for each contracted shipment in advance by at least 20 per cent and will pay the remaining amount once the fruit is delivered to an agreed destination. Besides, the eastern Thai agricultural cooperatives have agreed to have their logistics systems be accessible to the Alibaba group for its management purpose towards each shipment of the Thai fruit. (TNA)