DITP launches safety campaign for handling fruit, veg to boost consumer confidence

The campaign focuses on handling products in line with the Covid-19 prevention practices and ensures Thai manufacturers do the same to ensure greater safety.

Somdet Susomboon, director-general of DITP, said the pandemic has changed consumer behaviour and heightened concerns over health and safety.Most importantly, consumers are taking extra precautions when buying fresh fruits and vegetables. As a major exporter of fruits and vegetables across the world, Thailand is among the first few to emphasise on delivering safety for consumers. Thailand’s Commerce, Public Health, Agriculture and Cooperatives as well as Interior Ministries have joined forces in implementing compliance of Covid-19 prevention best practice by setting the following safety measures for manufacturers, exporters, business operators, fruit and vegetable suppliers, as well as logistics operators to follow:

• Reduce risk of contamination:

Business operators and suppliers must control access to the premises, such as signing names to check-in, using an online system to screen and manage employee data as well as data on the freight vehicles and cleaning surface of the freight vehicles at risk of contamination after each use, while employees are required to wear a mask at all times to prevent contamination.

• Strict production control: Every factory must implement quality and safety controls throughout the production line, from receiving fresh fruit and vegetable, processing and packing in compliance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP). Besides, employees must maintain personal hygiene at all times by wearing aprons, gloves and mask, and wash hands frequently during work, while maintaining preventive measures for transporting goods by cleaning and disinfecting the interior of the vehicle container.

• Control Personal Hygiene, Work Environment as well as Location and Manufacturing Building

Location and Manufacturing Building: Entrances and exits must be controlled at all times. In addition, the manufacturing building, meeting room, cafeteria, changing room and toilets should be properly managed to reduce congestion. Business operators should also install high-efficiency ventilation systems and air filters in the building.

Sanitation: Personal hygiene equipment must be readily available at the workstation including a handwashing sink, liquid soap, disinfectant, disposable paper towels and auto lid pedal waste bins, with the clear instructions provided.

Cleaning: Strictly clean and disinfect machinery manufacturing buildings, toilets, floors, walls, as well as common areas that are prone to contact such as doorknobs, handrails, elevator buttons, chairs, dining tables, etc., in appropriate frequency and time of day.

Personal hygiene of workers: Workers’ health must be monitored daily before they enter the building. Workers must wear a mask at all times and information collected for tracing. They are also required to wear gloves, wash hands, maintain social distancing and prevent any contaminations during operation.

Training: Employees must be trained to protect themselves from COVID-19 including temperature checking, wearing a mask, social distancing, cleaning and disinfecting, as well as reducing congestion, to ensure that their workplace is Covid-19 secure.

“DITP has launched ‘Thailand Delivers with Safety’ campaign to strengthen relationships and trust among buyers and trade partners across the globe. Thai manufacturers strictly follow Covid-19 Prevention Best Practice in every procedure from sourcing ingredients, harvesting, transporting, manufacturing with a high level of personal safety, packaging to delivering at the consumers’ doorstep,” Somdet said.