Tossaporn Thedsomboon, managing director of Aim Thai Intertrade, said last week that demand for dried and fresh fruits had blossomed since the government's policy to promote Thai fruit in international markets had succeeded in stimulating consumption.

The Export Promotion Department reported that exports of fresh, frozen and dried fruit increased 8.7 per cent to US$320 million (Bt12.2 billion) last year.

The government's campaign also created opportunities for exporters to add value to fresh fruit, Tossaporn said.

For example, a 200-gram pack of dried mangosteen sells locally for Bt100. This  compares to just Bt20-Bt30 per kilogram for fresh mangosteen.

Processing fresh fruit has increased the company's revenue by 50 per cent and directly boosted the incomes of fruit-growers.

Aim Thai Intertrade has about 1,000 contract fruit-farmers in the North, Central region, South and East.

They sell to the company at a 10- to 15-per-cent premium to the open market, but this is on condition that they do not use chemicals.

By applying new technology to fresh fruit, the company has created "J Fruit", its own brand of dehydrated fruit in attractive packaging.

The J range covers longan, lychee, coconut, custard apple, mangosteen, pomelo and rambutan.

In 1999 the company was established to sell fresh fruit domestically and abroad. Five years ago it began exporting dehydrated fruit to China. Now the company considers itself one of the country's leading dried-fruit exporters.

The company targets growth of 30-40 per cent each year, aiming for Bt1 billion in sales this year.

It achieved Bt800 million last year.

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation