China’s appetite for the love it or hate it king of fruits, Durian soared to a whole new level when the country imported 1.4 million tonnes of durian in 2023, up 69 percent from the previous year according to data from China’s General Administration of Customs.
However, while Malaysia and Thailand has been the biggest exporters, data has indicated that Thailand, has been losing market share as the world’s chief buyer of the pungent tropical fruit let in exports from Vietnam and the Philippines. Data from Malaysia’s Agriculture Ministry is yet to be shared but in 2022 the ministry did report a drop by 38% for the thorny fruit.
As for 2023, the top exporter Thailand saw it share of those imports, in US dollar terms, dropped from almost 100 per cent in 2021 to 95.36 per cent a year later and 67.98 per cent last year.
On the other hand, Vietnamese durian exports to China went from near zero to a 4.6 per cent share at US$188.1 million in 2022, and soared to 31.8 per cent last year for a total value of US$2.1 billion.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said Vietnamese exports of the fruit worldwide reached 4.9 per cent of the total by volume in 2022 at 40.88 million kilograms, adding Vietnam’s share was less than 1 per cent the previous year and zero before that.
Vietnam is aiming to reach US$3.5 billion in durian turnover this year – a surge of 55 per cent from last year – by tapping deeper into the Chinese market, the country’s Department of Foreign Information projected last week. The other player who is aiming to take slice of the cut is the Philippines which has gained a sliver of market share, too. A year ago this month, China agreed to start importing fresh Philippine durians, which grow largely in the volcanic soil of Mount Apo on the southern island of Mindanao.
(Credit SCMP for some of the information)
