July 22, 2025 | Nation Thailand |
Thailand’s Agriculture Minister Atthakorn Sirilatthayakorn announced a 1-billion-baht aid package to support longan farmers facing severe oversupply and price collapse. Farmers will receive 1,400 baht per rai, up to 10 rai per household, to ease losses and encourage continued cultivation. The ministry also proposed a longan quality development program, offering 1,000 baht per rai for pruning and 400 baht per rai for inputs, aiming to sustain AA-grade longan production.
Three key measures are being implemented: credit support through interest-free loans for cooperatives, exporters, and processors; expanded distribution via cooperatives, retailers, schools, and tourist sites; and coordinated labor solutions for peak harvest seasons. These initiatives are designed to boost liquidity, widen market channels, and ensure efficient harvest and processing.
The farm-gate price of longan has plunged from 20 baht to 12 baht per kilogram, with risks of dropping below 10 baht—below production costs due to high labor expenses. The decline stems from a glut in production and capacity limits at processing facilities, many of which have restricted purchases.
Officials emphasized that the program is not just short-term relief but a structural effort to improve quality, strengthen market systems, and safeguard farmer livelihoods while restoring global confidence in Thai longan.
