The peak season for mangosteen in Thailand starts in April and then winds down until September. demand for Thai mangosteen is good. “We shipped hundred tons of mangosteen in the last two weeks. There is a big market in the Middle East and china
Mangosteen has a sweet and sour taste, which makes it a popular fruit for Asian countries. The main markets for Siam Jumbo are the Middle East, China and Japan. The Middle East is a large market with a constant demand. In order to supply to customers, Siam Jumbo needs to ship by airfreight every week. Shipments to the ME are sent about 5-6 times per week in large volumes.
The price for Thai mangosteen right now is quite attractive. Prices last year were quite higher than this year. According to Managing Director Suwanchai Chavanchankij, the quality of this year is better than last year. “It’s been a good harvest.”
There is a lot of local competition. Most Thai growers and exporters have been working with mangosteen for years. Foreign competition comes mainly from Vietnam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. Thai growers and exporters have the advantage of mangosteen being typically seen as a type of produce that’s culturally associated with Thailand.
Siam Jumbo isn’t currently exporting to Europe or the USA. The company however did begin exporting rambutan, mangosteen and durian to the USA. “We noticed how large the import volumes for durian, rambutan and mangosteen were for USA. We saw that as a good reason to expand into this market.”
The main challenges for Thai fresh produce are acquiring the correct certifications and documentations (EU and the USA). Suwanchai added that mangosteen has a reputation for being easily contaminated, even though the hard skin of mangosteen makes this type of fruit actually very resistant to pests. “The only way to prove its safety is with certifications such as the GlobalGap."
