Chanthaburi: The Ministry of Commerce has inaugurated a mangosteen auction site in Chanthaburi to empower farmers to sell their produce at prices that reflect its quality, thereby enhancing their income.
According to Thai News Agency, the Department of Internal Trade, following directives from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, Supajee Suthamphan, initiated the establishment of this auction site after consultations with farmers and fruit traders in the region. The aim is to establish a transparent market mechanism, enhance price competition, and provide farmers with opportunities to sell based on quality.
Mr. Jirawut Suwannach, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Internal Trade, emphasized the department's focus on enhancing fruit marketing mechanisms to provide more sales options for farmers and promote fair trade practices. This initiative is intended to empower farmers with greater bargaining power and create more income opportunities. The Department is facilitating the establishment of a "fruit auction yard" in Chanthaburi province, beginning with mangosteen. The initiative promises an alternative market mechanism enabling multiple buyers to compete, ensuring transparent pricing based on product quality, and providing farmers with fair compensation.
In collaboration with the Chanthaburi Provincial Commerce Office and the Chanthaburi Agricultural Cooperative Limited, the Department of Internal Trade has set up the "Fruit Auction Yard" as a central hub for collecting, buying, selling, weighing, and inspecting the quality of produce transparently. Operations commenced in late May 2026 and officially opened on June 5, 2026, at the Chanthaburi Agricultural Cooperative Limited.
This move aligns with the policy of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, Supajee Suthamphan, who is committed to upgrading the agricultural product marketing structure and addressing farmers' issues in both the short and long term. After visiting with farmers, traders, and fruit collectors in Chanthaburi province, she advocated for a central market and fruit auction system to increase market channels, foster fair competition, and mitigate the pricing constraints farmers currently face, leading to the establishment of the Chanthaburi Provincial Fruit Auction House.
'The core principle of a fruit auction house is to ensure farmers receive fair compensation based on the actual quality of their produce. High-quality fruit must have the opportunity to be sold at a fair price. Buyers compete on price, while farmers are incentivized to improve the quality of their produce to better meet market demands,' said Mr. Jirawut.
Chanthaburi province, a significant mangosteen production area in Thailand, hosts over 18,815 mangosteen farming households. In 2026, the peak production season is projected for late May to early June, with a yield exceeding 52,000 tons. Thus, additional market channels are essential to absorb the increased production, prevent oversupply, and maintain price stability for farmers.
Mr. Jirawut reported that initial operational data shows the fruit auction yard has achieved a total transaction value of 642,360 baht. This reflects the auction system's efficacy as a central market, enabling farmers to sell directly and allowing businesses to access quality produce from local farmers more efficiently.
'The Department of Internal Trade will utilize the fruit auction yard model as a key tool in developing the country's fruit marketing system. We will closely monitor and evaluate its performance, including trading volume, prices received by farmers, and the satisfaction of all stakeholders. We will also consider expanding this model to other fruits, including mangosteen in the South, with plans to implement it in Nakhon Si Thammarat province in the next phase. This will provide farmers with diverse marketing channels, promote fair competition, and ensure they receive a fair return commensurate with the quality of their produce,' Mr. Jirawut said.