Carrefour sign

Just weeks after retailer Tesco launched a campaign to increase exports of Thai fruit, it has emerged Carrefour is considering ways to triple the value of its Thai fruit exports.

Carrefour hopes to ease the Thai oversupply of fruit this year by boosting exports via its global distribution network, reported the Bangkok Post.

Europe is the retailer’s prime target, according to Prapaphan Ploysaengngam, marketing director of CenCar Co, Carrefour’s Thai arm.

“The increasing volume of Thai fruit exports under our campaign will increase the total export values for CenCar by 20 per cent by the end of this year,” she said.

Mr Prapaphan said there was good export potential for Thai fruit, which she said have a good reputation internationally.

Sales of Thai fruit have also been doing well in Carrefour’s local outlets, she said.

CenCar signed a memorandum of understanding last Thursday with the Commerce Ministry to buy over 4,000 tonnes of Thai fruit, worth about THB100m (US$2.9m), to supply Carrefour’s 34 domestic stores.

Ms Prapaphan said overall domestic sales in the first half of the year rose by 10 per cent as a result of new store openings, and store-by-store sales rose 5 per cent.