The retail season of fresh Malaysian durians begins every year in June and continues until the end of August. The supply of frozen durian can last all year. Manager Yang of Jinyangzhuang Trade Co., Ltd. recently shared insight in the market conditions of Malaysian durian in China.
"This year, up until now, our company has imported more than 280 tons of whole Musang King durian cooled in liquid nitrogen. That is an increase of 11.8% in comparison with last year. We sell the imported durian directly to wholesale markets, e-commerce platforms, and supermarket chains. Our retail network covers all the first- and second-tier cities in east China. We mainly package the refrigerated durian pieces per 250 grams, 300 grams, and 400 grams, but we also sell whole Musang King durian pre-cooled in liquid nitrogen. The whole Musang King durian weighs around 10 kg and the current market price is around 88-128 yuan [12.35-17.97 USD] per 0.5 kg depending on the quality," explained manager Yang.
"Chinese consumers are gradually becoming more familiar with Malaysian durian and as a result, more and more Chinese importers turn to Malaysia for durian.
The supply from Malaysian production areas can not satisfy Chinese market demand and the purchase price continues to rise. The overall export volume of Malaysian durian expanded by 143% in the 5 years between 2012 and 2017. In that same period, the price increased by 530%.
The overall surface area devoted to durian plantation in Malaysia also doubled several times in the same period. In May of this year, Malaysia obtained permission to export frozen durian to the Chinese market. When this news came out, many farmers in Malaysia eagerly searched for available land to expand their durian plantations. They plan to further increase the production volume and meet the growing Chinese market demand.
The number of durian varieties available for export also expanded in recent years, including the Black Thorn, Mon Thong [Golden Pillow], Red Shrimp, Bottle Gourd, Sultan King, and Shanding XO. These high-end market products gradually find their way into China, but the vast majority of Chinese consumers still prefer the Musang King D197."
With regard to the fast-changing durian market, manager Yang explained that, "a growing number of companies are entering the durian market, which inevitably leads to some chaos in the durian import industry. Many traders gain a foothold in the durian market with low prices, but they can not guarantee the quality of their products. Other companies use false advertising to sell inferior products and in the end the consumer pays the price."
"The basis of our operations is the Musang King durian, but next year we also plan to export 8-11 price-winning Malaysian durian varieties. We would like to offer Chinese consumers a greater variety of durian flavors."
Jinyangzhuang Trade has 485 hectares of durian plantation in Johor, Malaysia. The company also has all the relevant customs clearance and quarantine certificates.
For more information:
Yang - Manager
Jinyangzhuang (Shenzhen) Trade Co., Ltd.
Tel.: +86 189 2376 0960