PHUKET: Officials in Phuket have launched an island-wide campaign to promote durian cultivation as a new source of income for the province and a strategy to combat climate change. The plan sets a target of planting no fewer than 100,000 durian trees within three months. The campaign was launched in Phuket on Monday (June 12) and continued today (June 14) with a symbolic durian planting ceremony, attended by Han Zhiqiang, the Ambassador of China to Thailand.
The campaign was launched on Monday (June 12) with a ceremony at Wat Mongkol Nimit in Phuket Town. Governor Narong Woonciew presided over the event, along with a host of other officials, including Rewat Areerob, President of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (PPAO), and Jaratsee Khampeerasing, the head of Phuket provincial office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC).
Speaking at the event, Governor Narong emphasised that durian is a well-known Phuket product and a lucrative commercial crop enjoying high demand on both domestic and international markets, specifically in China.
Apart from financial income, durian also brings environmental benefits as it “creates carbon credits and supports food sustainability,” Governor Narong added.
The double-edged benefits of durians were emphasised by Ms Jaratsee of the MOAC, who said that the island needs to increase green spaces by planting durians to support a stable environment and prevent undesirable climate phenomena from occurring.
“We have coordinated efforts with local administrations, relevant government offices, the private sector, the educational sector, and the people of the island to plant at least 100,000 durian trees within the timeframe of June to August,” Ms Jaratsee said.
The areas where durians are to be planted include Wat Mongkhon Nimit, Thalang Technical College, Ban Pakrongcheep School, four unnamed community forests, and several unnamed areas of “model agriculture” in Phuket.
As part of the “Kick Off Durian Planting” event on June 12, a total of 50 durian trees were planted in Sakhu, 20 trees were planted in Kamala, and 30 more were planted in Chalong. Thus, the first day of the initiative saw officials reaching 0.1% of the total number of 100,000 new durian trees planted across the province.
