Mainland China imported nearly US$1 billion worth of Vietnamese durians in September, up 68% from August and accounting for 94% of the fruit's total export value, according to Vietnam Customs. This marks the third consecutive month of strong import growth after a slowdown earlier in the year due to tighter quality inspections.
In the first nine months of 2025, China remained Vietnam's largest durian market, importing US$2.59 billion out of the total US$2.8 billion in exports.
Vietnamese durian shipments also expanded to several other destinations. Exports to Hong Kong rose 84% to US$42.8 million, while Taiwan recorded a 65% increase to US$32 million. Papua New Guinea and the United States saw growth of 45% and 37%, respectively. Exports to Malaysia increased 650%, though from a relatively small base.
In contrast, shipments to Thailand dropped 75% to US$33.9 million, reducing its share of Vietnamese durian exports from 4.7% to 1.2%.
Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said that "after a year of explosive growth, Vietnamese durian has entered a phase of quality competition and process standardization." He added that with continued expansion of certified growing areas and investment in processing, Vietnam could maintain its regional leadership and reach US$3.5 billion in durian exports by year-end.
However, temporary closures of domestic quality testing laboratories have created short-term risks for exporters, as some facilities paused operations for maintenance, disrupting sampling and certification for China-bound shipments.
The Vietnamese government has instructed relevant ministries to identify causes, accelerate licensing, and strengthen oversight to restore testing capacity and prevent shipment backlogs.
Vietnam currently has 24 testing laboratories approved by Chinese authorities, with a combined capacity of about 3,200 samples per day.
Source: VNExpress
