Up until now, Japan required mangosteens from Thailand to undergo costly steam heat treatment to eliminate fruit flies. However, Japan’s exemption of steam heat treatment for import of mangosteen from Thailand has taken effect. According to Pisan Pongsapitch, secretary-general of the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food standards, the exemption approved under the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement (JTEPA), was announced in the Official Gazette of Japan on Monday.
Pisan said the first lot of shipments of mangosteen without the steam heat treatment process would be inspected and certified by Japanese officials in the third week of this month so that export of the fruit to Japan without the process can begin this month. The exemption of the process would help Thai exporters of mangosteen reduce cost and allow the fruit to stay fresh longer, he added.
He said the exemption from the steam heat treatment would allow Thailand to increase export of mangosteen to Japan by about 200 tons a year, or an additional 120 million baht a year.
Source: thestar.com.my