The Ministry of Defense is preventing the illegal flow of low-quality cassava chips along the border.

Nonthaburi, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade revealed that he is working hand in hand with the Department of Internal Trade and related agencies to seriously clean up the process of smuggling low-quality cassava overflowing along the border. It is feared that it will affect the price of cassava in the country. Emphasizing that a total of 10 people have been arrested and are ready to be prosecuted under the law. Mr. Noppadol Khanthamat, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade, revealed that at present the price of cassava has begun to fluctuate, partly due to the importation of low-quality, low-priced cassava chips into border checkpoints. In the past, the Department Inspection teams have been sent to the area to continuously check the quality of cassava chips along the border. Since the cassava production of the 2023/24 production season began to hit the market from November 2023 to mid-January 2024, it has already punished 9 people who imported low quality cassa va chips by temporarily suspending them from importing. Until the said cassava chips are used to improve their quality. and bring evidence of the results of the inspection to the specified standards to present to the Department of Foreign Trade. So it can be imported further. However, the Department has agreed to organize inspections together with the Department of Internal Trade. Visited the area to inspect tapioca chips imported from Cambodia at the Ban Khao Din permanent border crossing point, Sa Kaeo Province, and the Chong Mek permanent border crossing point. Ubon Ratchathani Province To inspect the import of cassava chips from Cambodia and Lao PDR under the regulatory framework. The Department of Foreign Trade has inspected the quality of imported cassava chips. that there is humidity And are the impurities such as soil and sand above the legal limit? The humidity must not be more than 14% and the sandy soil must not be more than 3%. Between 18 - 20 Jan. '24, one importer of cassava chips that did not meet standards was inspected and found at the permanent border crossing point at Ban Khao Din. From the time the 2023/24 crop began to be released to the market in November 2023 until now, the Department has suspended the registration of a total of 10 importers. 'Increasing intensity in checking the standards of imported cassava chips along the border. By organizing a special inspection team at the department's executive level. Go into the area to supervise and inspect the quality of cassava chips. This is another measure to increase the level of deterrence against the importation of large quantities of cheap, low-quality cassava chips. and to directly communicate with importers the importance of product quality. This will result in the Thai cassava price being continuously stable. If it is found that any import checkpoint still imports low quality cassava chips. will order to increase the frequency of checking that checkpoint further,' Mr. Noppadon said. In addition, we have integrated with the Department of Internal Trade to check the actual imported quantities to see if they are consistent with the quantities reported for permission to transport cassava chips or not. Integrating and working together in this way will have a positive impact on the Thai cassava price situation. and build confidence in quality standards for purchasing countries This will help generate income for farmers who grow cassava continuously. Source: Thai News Agency