The Commerce Ministry will help the Agriculture Ministry to clarify health concerns Hong Kong officials have about the use of the turmeric liquid in exported durian.
The move comes as the ministries warned Thai exporters and farmers not to use any substances that could affect consumer confidence.
Duangkamol Jiambutr, the Commerce Ministry spokeswoman, said the Thai Trade Office in Hong Kong would inform Hong Kong's Food and Environmental Hygience Department (FEHD) that turmeric did not harm people's health so there was no need to ban Thai durian imports.
In a bid to prevent further problems, the ministry will also meet with relevant government agencies and the Thai Fruits Exporters Association to discuss the import fruit regulations for a variety of markets.
A recent media report stated that the FEHD had accused Thai durian farmers and exporters of soaking durians in turmeric, a yellow liquid, and other chemicals to accelerate ripening.
The FEHD warned them not to use turmeric or any substance to accelerate ripening or Hong Kong would ban durian imports from Thailand.
Duangkamol said the government would stringently control farmers and exporters who used a chemical substance to hasten the ripening of durian not to use more than two parts per million.
