The European Union's Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety is conducting an assessment of Thailand's pesticide residue control system for plant products, including fruit and vegetables. The audit, led by Pedro Moreno Valenzuela with expert team members Amadeo Rodriguez Fernandez Alba and Demetrios Fragoyiannis, is taking place from March 9 to 20, 2026.
The review is part of the European Union's process to evaluate food safety systems in exporting countries and confirm compliance with requirements for products entering the European market.
Thailand exports fruit, vegetables, and related products to the European Union with an annual value of about 1 billion baht (US$28 million). The EU market applies strict food safety requirements, including controls on pesticide residues.
The assessment covers the full production chain, including pesticide use at the farm level, operations at packing houses, oversight of agricultural input retailers, and laboratory testing systems for residue analysis.
Inspection visits include chilli production in Kanchanaburi and Nakhon Pathom, passion fruit production in Lampang, and certified packing facilities in Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, and Ratchaburi. The audit team is also reviewing the work of inspectors overseeing pesticide retailers, as well as research centres and laboratories responsible for residue testing.
Authorities are also working on training for farmers on pesticide use and developing traceability systems to track product origin across the supply chain.
"The European Union is one of the markets with the strictest food safety standards in the world. Thailand's ability to demonstrate the strength of its residue control system will help build confidence among importers and consumers in the European market. This DG-SANTE assessment is not only a confirmation of the safety standards of Thai plant products, but also an important mechanism for strengthening confidence among trading partners and creating opportunities to expand Thai plant exports in the future," said Rapeepat Chantarasriwong, director-general of the Department of Agriculture.
Source: The Nation
