Competition in exporting durian to China is rising between long-time player Thailand and newbies Vietnam and the Philippines as the world’s largest market for the fruit reopens after Covid. In the southern province of Tien Giang, Nguyen Van Dong has invested VND800 million ($33,649) in growing 200 durian trees that are expected to fruit from next year.
Growing durian has become the latest trend in southern Vietnam following the rise in the price of the fruit, especially after China began to allow its official import from Vietnam last September. The country planned to have 75,000 ha under durian by 2030, but the figure has already exceeded 80,000 ha and is growing, and this has alarmed the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Last year durian exports were worth nearly $400 million, including $300 to China. But to put it in perspective, China’s total imports of the fruit were worth $4.2 billion, a seven-fold increase from 2017, according to its customs.
Thailand, the first and biggest fresh durian exporter to China, has been working to increase output in response to this growing demand. In 2021 its exports to China grew 68% to 875,000 tons. It harvested 1.29 million tons that year, 30% higher than in 2019.
Source: e.vnexpress.net