SOURCE: Sooksodsai Sooksomchitra, Bangkok Post
Mangoes have been selling at Huai Khwang Market for as low as 20 baht per kilogramme recently. Pikul, a vendor, said she cannot remember the last time mangoes were so cheap.
“I’ve never seen prices so low. This situation is really hurting farmers. Mango growers are in trouble — I feel for them,” said Pikul, who has worked at her stall for decades.
Her fruit comes in fresh each morning from the Simummuang wholesale market, but by evening she is forced to sell overripe mangoes at giveaway prices or simply discard them.
Tú, 26, another fruit seller at the market, says wholesalers are in even worse shape since they buy directly from the orchards.
“They complain there’s just too much fruit — way more than usual,” she says, adding wholesalers will either give away or feed the surplus to animals.
The Department of Internal Trade reports a 25% drop in average farmgate prices on key fruit crops this season, the biggest slump in a decade.
Meanwhile, fearing tariff threats, processed fruit exporters are postponing shipments, leading mango pulp factories to put their production lines on pause, sending domestic demand for raw fruit into a slump.
On May 7, the Ministry of Commerce announced emergency measures to clear the backlog. State agencies were ordered to buy directly from farmers, shortening the supply chain and propping up prices. Local commerce offices were instructed to coordinate bulk purchases for social programmes and school meals.
The government has also pledged to fast track logistic improvements.
Commerce officials unveiled plans to ease transport bottlenecks by waiving highway tolls for fruit trucks, opening dedicated cargo lanes and subsidising refrigerated container rentals.
Last month, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra posted a TikTok video, in which she encouraged people to “eat more Thai fruit”.
In the clip she cited a projected increase in this year’s yield, thanks to favourable conditions. “Today I’m a fruit vendor for one day,” she announced, arranging a plate full of Thai fruit in front of her.
“Two years ago, Thai mangoes were famous worldwide. I confirm they’re delicious and fairly priced. Please support Thai fruit, imports are expensive, and this year all varieties are sweet and easy to find.”
Yet none of this has made a huge difference in the market.
“I haven’t seen the government do anything — I don’t even watch the news. There’s been no help at all; we haven’t even received the 10,000-baht subsidy,” Pikul says.
“If they really want to help, just make the economy better. In this situation, everyone, especially the farmers, are suffering, while mango growers are really in trouble. ”
Just a few stalls down, 34-year-old Ekkarapee carefully sorts through crates of unsold fruit. “It’s completely quiet — no one is buying,” she says.
Her husband adds “I brought just 20.5kg of longan today, and 20kg remain. We’re all under a lot of stress.”
Their stall, open from 10am to 10pm, still sits nearly untouched four hours before closing.
Ekkarapee sees no relief in sight.
“The situation has become much worse compared to last year. I still haven’t seen the government do anything on economic issues. We’re having a really hard time these days.”
As the harvest reaches its peak, fruit growers and market vendors are begging for one thing above all: customers ready to buy at prices that at least cover their costs.