Opinion
EDITORIAL
Promote fruit for good health and better business
Published on July 28, 2010
Thailand is blessed with an abundance of fruits, but we often take them for granted without realising their true value
During US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's recent visit to Pakistan, she pledged to assist Pakistan in exporting mangoes to the US. The export of this sweet fruit is no small issue. If the US opens to Pakistan mangoes, it could help reduce anti-American sentiment.
The press hailed this mango story as "mango diplomacy", even though no Pakistani mangoes have made their way to the US yet. Clinton didn't make any commitment on the deadline, but her positive gesture shows that one cannot underestimate such diplomacy. In fact, it is a shrewd effort.
Pakistan doesn't view the mango as simply an export item. In fact, the country takes pride in this national fruit. It is believed that mangoes originated in South Asia before Buddhist monks and Persian traders took the plant to other parts of the world, including Thailand, where our version of the fruit is perfect served with coconut milk and soft sticky rice.
The mango commitment is important for US diplomacy with South Asia. Pakistan saw the possibility of the US market for their mangoes after the US agreed to take Indian mangoes three years ago, in exchange for allowing Harley-Davidson to sell its motorcycles in India. Although the initial sales volumes for both mangoes and Harley-Davidsons were not robust, due to tax and other technical issues, the deal generated goodwill between the US and India.
The mango news comes as Thailand faces a glut of various fruits on the domestic market, including rambutan, mangosteen, durian, lychee, longan and coconut. The Commerce Ministry forecasts that this year's production of many fruits will increase over last year - rambutan, for example, from 271,000 to 285,000 tonnes, and lychee from 53,200 to 82,800 tonnes.
This is good news for Thai consumers, as they can enjoy our flavourful fruits at a more affordable price. But it's bad news for farmers, who are facing depressed prices as the supply of fruits is far above the demand. Perhaps now is the time to help absorb the supply of our home grown products.
We can take our pride in our great variety of fruits in the same way Pakistan and India do their mangoes. Thai fruits are second to none in terms of taste and quality, and are now more affordable for the majority of Thais. A decade ago, the prices of many home-grown fruits such as durian, mangosteen and lychee were too high for many people. But nowadays, anyone can enjoy these fruits without having to rob a bank.
We should continue to promote home-grown fruits not only as products, but to promote health. Fruits have a much higher nutritional value than processed foods and junk foods. Let's face it, our ancestors did not face the obesity problem we are facing today, because they ate fruits for dessert or a snack, instead of candy, chocolate or potato chips. We can all promote our fruits by including them in meals, instead of processed products with a high sugar content - most of which are generally more expensive than home-grown fruits.
Besides the health factor, we should be thankful that our home-grown fruits have generated revenue from trade - another good reason why they should be promoted. There should be direct links between farmers and consumers in every area, to absorb the supply while cutting out the middlemen who force farmers to sell produce to them at too low a price.
In the meanwhile, the government should make a greater effort to promote our national pride in order to boost exports of these products around the world. After all, how can we promote our fruits overseas if we cannot promote consumption domestically?
It shouldn't take too much effort to persuade people to enjoy these flavourful fruits. Thailand is blessed with natural produce, yet we sometimes take things for granted, while others don't take their fruit so lightly. Witness how Indians and Pakistanis often argue over who grows the best mangoes.
While Thais may leave the mango debate to South Asians, we can close the argument over who grows the best durians, rambutan and lychee, among others, by promoting the consumption of these "secret weapons".
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