According to data from China's customs agency, the country spent nearly $6.7 billion to import about 1.5 million tons of durian in the first 10 months of 2024. Compared to the same period last year, the amount of imported durian increased by 10.1% and the value increased by 4.4%.

The amount of durian consumed by Chinese people accounts for 91% of the total consumption worldwide, showing the huge potential of this market.

Notably, although Thailand held the position of the largest durian supplier in the Chinese market in the first 10 months of 2024, it is facing great competition from Southeast Asian countries, typically Vietnam.

Specifically, China spent nearly 3.87 billion USD to import about 785,000 tons of durian from Thailand at an average price of 4,927 USD/ton. However, the quantity of durian imported from Thailand decreased by 13.2% and the value decreased by 12.7% compared to the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the average export price of durian from Vietnam is only 3,964 USD/ton, 963 USD/ton lower than that of Thai goods. Accordingly, Chinese enterprises have rushed to close orders to buy nearly 702,000 tons of durian from Vietnam, worth about 2.78 billion USD. Compared to the same period last year, durian imports from Vietnam increased sharply by 55% in volume and 42.5% in value.

In the past 10 months, the "king of Vietnamese fruits" accounted for 46.9% of China's imported durian, second only to Thailand with 52.4%.

Statistics from the General Department of Vietnam Customs show that China's increased purchases of Vietnamese durian helped this fruit set a historical export record of over 3 billion USD in just 10 months, an increase of 45.7% over the same period in 2023. At the same time, it contributed greatly to the overall growth rate of the entire fruit and vegetable industry in the first 10 months of 2024, when the proportion accounted for 49.11% of the total turnover.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in November, durian harvest output decreased significantly, because durian in the Central Highlands was at the end of the favorable season, while durian in the Western and Southeastern provinces was in the off-season.

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Vietnamese durian accounts for 46.9% of China's total durian imports. Photo: Manh Khuong

Currently, durian has switched to the off-season harvest in the Mekong Delta. This is also the time when Vietnam is almost the only country in the world still harvesting durian, 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 exclusively exported this fruit to the Chinese market. Therefore, the price of durian purchased from gardeners is always very high.

In the southern provinces of our country, gardeners are selling Ri6 and Monthong durians of grades A and B at prices ranging from 100,000-165,000 VND/kg.

Faced with the acceleration of Vietnam's durian exports to China, Thailand is having to encourage farmers and businesses to focus on strengthening quality control and standards, addressing issues such as soft durians and pests... to protect its market share in the billion-people market.

In addition, Thailand also promotes innovation of durian varieties to suit consumer tastes, bringing competitive advantages in the Chinese market.

Along with that, taking advantage of the China - Laos railway to significantly reduce costs and transportation time for Thai durian, improving the competitiveness of the product.

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.