In 2023, China saw a 69% rise in durian imports, reaching a whopping 1.4 million tons as per the data from China’s General Administration of Customs. While Thailand had almost a complete monopoly on these imports in 2021, its share dropped to 67.98% last year.
Vietnam has been chipping away at Thailand’s dominance since China allowed Vietnamese exporters to ship fresh durians in 2021. Vietnamese durian exports to China skyrocketed from virtually zero to a 31.8% share last year, amounting to a hefty US$2.1 billion. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reported that Vietnamese exports of the fruit globally hit 4.9% of the total by volume in 2022, up from less than 1% the previous year.
With an ambitious target of US$3.5 billion in durian turnover this year, Vietnam is aiming for a 55% surge by penetrating deeper into the Chinese market. HSBC research reports that over 90% of durian exports end up in China. Meanwhile, the Philippines also saw a rise in durian exports to China, with a value of US$1.88 million from January to June 2023.
Source: vietnamagriculture.nongnghiep.vn
