CP AXTRA Joins Forces with Partners to Support Lime Farmers Purchasing surplus limes and distributing to over 2,600 Makro and Lotus’s branches nationwide

Bangkok, 18 August 2025 – Amid this year’s rainy season, lime farmers across Thailand are facing a challenging oversupply situation that has caused market prices to drop drastically sometimes to just a few satang per fruit. One of the hardest-hit areas is Ban Phaeo District in Samut Sakhon, a key lime-producing region.

To help alleviate the impact, CP AXTRA Public Company Limited, the operator of Makro and Lotu’s, has stepped in with concrete measures to support local growers. The company has partnered with the Agricultural and Food Innovation Development Center (AFC), the Department of Internal Trade under the Ministry of Commerce, Samut Sakhon’s provincial commerce and agricultural offices, the provincial chamber of commerce, and other local agencies. Together, they have coordinated the direct purchase of limes at fair prices from the Ban Phaeo-Damnoen Saduak Lime Growers Cooperative and are distributing the produce across more than 2,600 Makro and Lotus’s nationwide.

This initiative not only helps ease the oversupply but also plays a key role in stabilizing prices and preventing significant losses for farmers. By leveraging CP AXTRA’s strong logistics and retail networks, the company ensures that quality produce reaches consumers quickly and efficiently. The “Direct from Farm to Store” approach cuts out middlemen, ensuring fair returns for farmers while keeping prices reasonable for shoppers.

In addition to fresh produce purchasing, CP AXTRA is also supporting value-added lime processing to help mitigate risks caused by price volatility. Part of the limes are being processed into culinary lime powder, frozen lime juice, instant lime drink powder, and other products with strong potential in the food, beverage, and processed goods industries.

Most recently, CP AXTRA joined forces with the Department of Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce, the Phetchaburi Provincial Commerce Office, and the President of the Phetchaburi Chamber of Commerce to discuss supporting the purchase of limes from local farmers in Tha Yang District, Phetchaburi Province.

The collaboration involved providing guidance from CP AXTRA’s QA and Commercial teams, offering expertise to help ensure quality and market readiness. The lime growers expressed their appreciation for the support and confirmed their readiness to supply limes again during the next harvest season.

This initiative builds on CP AXTRA’s previous efforts in sourcing limes from farmers in Ban Phaeo District, Samut Sakhon Province, further strengthening the company’s commitment to supporting Thai agriculture and fostering sustainable partnerships with local farming communities.

This hands-on support reflects CP AXTRA’s ongoing commitment to working side by side with Thai farmers. Over the years, the company has collaborated with community enterprises, cooperatives, and farming groups across the country to connect local produce with consumers, promote sustainable agriculture, and help uplift the quality of life for farming communities nationwide.