Thailand exported 1,123,543 tons of fresh fruit to China in the first half of the year, with an increase of 120,000 tons compared to the quantity of same period last year, Thai Agriculture Minister Dr Chalermchai Sreeon said recently, according to Thai headline news.  The total exports reached 81.282 billion baht, equivalent to about 15.077 billion yuan.  
   
Affected by China's epidemic prevention and control measures, soaring oil prices caused by the Russia-Ukraine war, rising transportation costs by land, sea and air, and declining purchasing power of consumers, Thailand's fresh fruit exports decreased by 2.9 billion Baht, or 3.45%.  
   
Among all fruits exported, durian still ranks first, followed by coconut and longan.  Some Chinese border ports were closed from the end of last year to the beginning of this year, resulting in a sharp drop in longan exports, and Thailand had to adjust its fruit export strategy.  Longan lost ground to coconut, ranking third in exports to China.  
   
Thai fruit already accounts for nearly 50% of China's imported fruit market, compared with 10% for Chile and 6% for Vietnam, Chalermchai said.  The Thai Ministry of Agriculture will continue to introduce policies to improve the quality and standards of fruits, prevent novel coronavirus and plant diseases and pests in fruits, and address the problem of durian shell breakage.