CityNews – Longan farmers has started harvesting early due to fears of a looming price crash.
Longan farmers has started to harvest their fruit early this year after concerns surrounding a looming market crash that often hits the mid-season in July. Local media report that concerns are based on the market crashes of years previous, which led to a plea to the authorities to launch a policy to assist them financially.
Junjira Meunjai, a dried fruit entrepreneur in Chom Thong, revealed that farmers have started to contact factories to sell them longan since the 8th June. She said that she decided to accept the sale, despite a lack of demand for dried longan at this time. She stated that it was a risk but she felt bad for the farmers.
Junjira added that although her stock of longan is now filled, there is a lack of demand that will almost certainly see the market crash in price as they hit mid-season harvests.
Longan prices now range from 14 baht for AA grade fruit to 2.5 baht for C grade fruit.