Irradiation plant in the works
The Agricultural Department and private companies are planning to establish a plant to irradiate tropical fruit for export to the United States in the hope of breaking into fresh-fruit sales in the giant US market.
The plan is a response to new US import regulations for exotic fruit, allowing access to shipments with an irradiation certificate - meaning the fruit has been exposed to radiation sufficient to kill insects and other pests. The new import rules are expected to be approved by the US Agriculture Department and implemented within two months. At present, the US accepts only frozen fruit from Thailand. Agriculture Department director-general Adisak Sreesunpagit said yesterday the government would set up an irradiation factory next year if the US market responds well and approval is given for irradiation certification. "To pre-qualify for exporting exotic fruit to the potentially huge United States market, the government plans to provide a larger irradiation plant to establish sanitary standards and eliminate pests found on fruit," he said. The initial budget for the irradiation plant is Bt400 million and it will operate on a commercial basis. The government will hold a majority stake in the business. At present, the Atoms for Peace Office of the Energy Ministry is the Kingdom's only agency able to issue an irradiation certificate. Speaking yesterday at a seminar entitled "Certification of Irradiation as a Phytosanitary Treatment for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables", Adisak said that in the near future many of Thailand's markets for fresh food would require irradiation certification. Although the US market accounts for only 6.5 per cent of all fruit exported by Thailand last year, the volume is expected to grow to about 100 tonnes a week. Overall, the country exported 624,463 tonnes of fruit last year worth Bt11.9 billion, up 22 per cent from the previous year. Plant Protection Research and Development Office director Supachai Keawmeechai said the irradiation certification of fruit and vegetables would not only save time and money for eradication of pests, but it should also be accepted worldwide. The US is the first country requiring this treatment, but other markets will soon require the same practice. Japan, Europe and other major markets for Thai fruit currently require either vapour heat treatment or cold treatment, while the US imports only frozen fruit from Thailand. Petchanet Pratruangkrai The Nation
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