Former PM Srettha buys 7,000kg of flood-hit longans from Phrae farmers, Sansiri group tops 50,000kg in support

Former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has stepped in to support longan farmers in Phrae Province hit by severe flooding and plummeting prices. On July 31, he announced via his official Facebook page that he had purchased 7,000 kilograms of longans from local growers.

“A portion of the longans from flood-affected Phrae has been sent to my former company’s staff. I’m thrilled to hear that Sansiri and its partners have already helped purchase over 50,000 kilograms,” he wrote.

Srettha added, “Let’s not waste time questioning why others haven’t helped. Just do what you can. After all, we’re all in the same house.”

Thai farmers are currently grappling with oversupply, depressed prices, and a concentration of produce in limited regions—issues that require urgent cooperation between the government and private sector.

The Ministry of Commerce anticipates this year’s longan output will exceed 1 million tonnes, up from 900,000 tonnes last year. To address price pressure and oversupply, the ministry has launched measures to manage 151,000 tonnes of longans, focusing on domestic marketing, processing, and exports. This includes:

• Exporting 15,000 tonnes of fresh longan bunches
• Promoting domestic consumption via the Thai Fruits Festival 2025
• Connecting producers with retail outlets and corporate buyers
• Supporting CSR campaigns through private-sector longan purchases
• Providing packaging and subsidised logistics through Thailand Post
• Selling through Tao Bin vending machines, AirAsia Cargo, and expanding international markets via 58 commercial attaches worldwide

These efforts are projected to generate trade value exceeding 5.5 billion baht.

Additionally, the Northern Provincial Commerce Office has been tasked with overseeing over 50 longan drying facilities, which will process Grade A longans for export. The target for dried longan has increased from 50,000 tonnes to 101,000 tonnes, with inter-provincial logistics planning in place to ensure consistent processing throughout the season.