Insects hit Thai vegetable exports

Thailand will suspend exports of 16 vegetables to the European Union next month, including basil, aubergines and chillies, after EU food safety inspectors found the products contaminated with insects, officials said today.

The pre-emptive move by Thailand was taken to avoid a formal EU ban, which would take more time to lift, said Jirakorn Kosiasewe, a senior official at the Agriculture Ministry.

The 16 vegetables fall into five categories which include several varieties of basil, chillies and capsicum peppers, Thai aubergines, bitter gourds and parsley.

EU food safety authorities notified Thailand in December that inspectors had found whiteflies, thrips and leaf miners on the vegetables and that a ban would be applied if nothing was done by January 15, when food safety authorities will meet in Brussels, Mr Jirakorn said.

“These three insects are common in Thailand but they are alien species to the EU,” said another ministry official, Surmsuk Salakpetch. The pests can damage crops and can be difficult to control with pesticides.

Thailand will submit its plan at this weekend’s meeting to suspend exports while it strengthens quality controls and introduces other measures to solve the problem, including educating farmers, in the hope of convincing the EU that a ban is not necessary, Ms Surmsuk said.

Thailand will also intensify law enforcement to address EU concerns about the vegetables being smuggled out, she said.

The EU office in Bangkok was not available for comment.