According to data from China Customs, last September, the country imported 228,000 tons of durian of all kinds, worth nearly 894.6 million USD, a sharp increase of 58.4% in volume and 39% in value compared to the same month in 2023.

From January to September 2024, China spent $6.2 billion to import about 1.38 million tons of durian. Compared to the same period last year, China's imports of this fruit increased by 11.2% in volume and 5.6% in value.

However, the average import price of durian in China in the past 9 months decreased by 5% compared to the same period last year, only about 4,497 USD/ton. Of which, the import price from Thailand was 4,947 USD/ton, from Vietnam was 3,962 USD/ton and from the Philippines was only 2,628 USD/ton.

Notably, in September, Vietnam once again emerged as the largest supplier, accounting for 71.6% of China's durian imports. Accordingly, within just one month, this country imported 177,000 tons of durian from Vietnam, worth nearly 641 million USD (about more than 16,000 billion VND), a sudden increase of 90% in volume and 71.5% in value compared to September last year.

In the first 9 months of 2024, China imported nearly 618,000 tons of durian from Vietnam, an increase of 72.2%. Thanks to that, exporting to the Chinese market alone, the "king of Vietnamese fruits" brought in 2.45 billion USD, an increase of 57.3% over the same period last year.

In contrast, China reduced its durian imports from Thailand. However, in the first 9 months of 2024, Thailand remained the largest supplier of durian to China, reaching nearly 755,000 tons, worth about 3.73 billion USD, down 14.1% in volume and 13.3% in value compared to the same period last year.

In the structure of durian supply to the Chinese market in the first 9 months of 2024, Thailand leads with 60.2%, followed by Vietnam with 39.5%. Malaysia and the Philippines, although licensed to officially export durian to China, have a modest proportion of only 0.3%.

Speaking to VietNamNet , the general director of a durian exporting company to China said that in the last and first months of the year, Vietnam often surpasses Thailand to become the largest supplier of durian to this billion-people market. In addition, the export price of the “king of Vietnamese fruits” is also higher than in the middle months of the year.

Because, that is the time when almost only our country has durian to harvest in the world, while Thailand's main crop falls in the middle months of the year. Therefore, from October this year until February next year, Vietnam has almost a monopoly on exporting this fruit to the Chinese market, this leader further explained.

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Durian prices in the West have increased sharply and remained at a very high level. Photo: Manh Khuong

Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, also admitted that Vietnam is currently "alone" in the world market for durian, so the product is very expensive.

Accordingly, at some points, purchasing warehouses are willing to collect Monthong durian type A at 200,000 VND/kg, Ri6 at 150,000 VND/kg to have enough quantity of goods to pack in containers to export to China according to previously signed orders.

The leader of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association predicts that with the current export momentum, in just 1-2 years, Vietnam can surpass Thailand to become the largest durian exporter to the Chinese market.

Currently, in the durian capital of the West, the price of Monthong type A durian purchased at the farm ranges from 180,000-200,000 VND/kg, Ri6 type A is at 135,000-150,000 VND/kg. This price is twice as high as the price of durian in the main season. The farm owner predicts that the price of durian may increase further because of the scarcity of goods, while market demand is always high.

Earning 16,850 billion VND/month, durian is in season, only Vietnam has it, skyrocketing price . Exporting durian in just 1 month has brought in about 16,850 billion VND. It is worth mentioning that the "king of fruits" is entering the season, only Vietnam has it, so the price is skyrocketing.