Bangkok: PTT, in partnership with the Department of Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce, has launched a fruit sales initiative aimed at facilitating direct distribution of produce from Thai farmers to urban consumers. This collaborative effort aims to support farmers by providing them with a platform to sell their produce directly, thereby increasing their income and reducing the layers of middlemen.
According to Thai News Agency, the initiative was inaugurated by Mr. Witthayakorn Maneenet, Director-General of the Department of Internal Trade, alongside Mr. Wuttikorn Stithit, Chief Operating Officer of the Upstream Petroleum and Natural Gas Business Group at PTT Public Company Limited. The event, titled ‘Selling Fruits to Help Farmers’, took place at the PTT Head Office Building from July 15 to 16, 2025, and featured high-quality fruits sourced directly from production areas. The offerings included mangosteen from Chumphon Province and coconuts from Ratchaburi Province, made available to employees, personnel, and the general public.
The event successfully sold a total of 3,385 kilograms of fruit, comprising 2,385 kilograms of mangosteen from Lang Suan District, Chumphon Province. These were divided into 530 baskets, each weighing 4.5 kilograms and priced at 130 baht per basket. Additionally, 1,000 sweet coconuts from Ratchaburi Province, managed by the Thai Sweet Coconut Association, were sold at 15 baht each. Besides the sales point at PTT Headquarters, the initiative has expanded to select PTT gas stations, further enhancing consumer access to farm-fresh fruits and generating additional revenue for farmers during the harvest season.
Since the inception of this collaboration with the Department of Internal Trade, PTT has supported the distribution of 7,885 tons of agricultural produce. This includes direct purchases totaling 4,500 tons, with mangosteen sourced from Rayong Province and Phrom Khiri District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province.
Mr. Witthayakorn Maneenet commended PTT for its consistent support to farmers, describing the company as a ‘kind big brother’. He highlighted PTT’s past initiatives, such as purchasing surplus fancy mangoes, and praised the current fruit sales initiative as a model of effective cooperation between the public and private sectors, emphasizing its tangible and sustainable benefits for Thai farmers.