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Tag: durian

  • Vietnam durian exports to China surpass Thailand’s

    Vietnam durian exports to China surpass Thailand’s

    Vietnam exported 177,000 tons of durians worth US$640.72 million to China in September, surpassing Thailand as the top supplier of the fruit to that market.

    China spent $894.58 million in all to import 228,000 tons of durian in September, with Vietnam accounting for 77.6% of it, Thanh Nien newspaper reported last Thursday, citing data from China’s General Administration of Customs.

    But Thailand remained the leader in the first nine months, exporting nearly 755,000 tons of the fruit worth $3.73 billion, accounting for 54.7%, according to Dan tri online newspaper. But the figures represented year-on-year declines of 14.1% in volume and 13.3% in value.

    During the period Vietnam shipped 618,000 tons worth $2.45 billion, up 72.2% in volume and 57.3% in value.

    According to Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, Vietnam typically has an edge over Thailand around year-end when it has off-season durian to export to China unlike Thailand, whose harvest ends well before that.

    He said Chinese demand also rises at that time as consumers ramp up purchases for the year-end holidays and the Lunar New Year.

    Vietnam enjoys transport advantages such as road and rail links with China, which helps its exporters save time and costs, he added.

    In a bid to boost its competitiveness, Thailand’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency recently rolled out a project called One Tambon, One Digital that aims enhance durian farmers’ productivity, strengthen consumer trust in Thai durians, and promote high-value products on a global scale, particularly amid competition from China and nearby nations, the Bangkok Post reported.

    The initiative will help over 6,100 farming households adopt digital platforms to record cultivation data and train 12,200 farmers in 23 provinces in e-commerce and Good Agricultural Practices, which is required to export durian.

    The country has 163,200 hectares under durian, and grows 1.53 million tons of the fruit annually.

    Durian accounted for 69% of its fruit exports in 2023, with China being the primary export market.

    Vietnam shipped 500,000 tons of durian worth $2.3 billion that year, with 90% going to China. It has 154,000 ha under the fruit and an output of 1.2 million tons.

    It previously surpassed Thailand in durian exports to China earlier this year, shipping 32,750 tons in the first two months of 2024. Thailand’s exports in the same period plunged by half to 19,000 tons.

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  • Thailand launches digital durian initiative to boost farmers’ income

    Thailand launches digital durian initiative to boost farmers’ income

    Thailand has kicked off the One Tambon, One Digital (OTOD) “Digital Durian” project to help 8.8 million durian farmers improve their productivity.

    Thailand’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency President Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin said the OTOD Digital Durian initiative aims to engage over 6,100 durian farming households in adopting digital platforms for recording cultivation data within a two-year timeframe.

    The collection of this data will contribute to creating “big data” for Thailand’s agricultural sector, especially the durian sector. Pantanu Wannagangsai, advisor to the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES), said the above-mentioned project aligns with the government’s policies which aim to solve issues of debt, income, cost of living and social stability. It is expected to contribute to building consumer confidence both domestically and internationally, promoting high-value Thai products globally amid fierce competition, especially from China and countries in the Southeast Asian region, he added.

    Thailand has 1.02 million rai of durian plantation areas and produce 1.53 million tonnes. Durian accounts for 69% of all exported fruits, or 991,557 tonnes last year, and the major durian export market is China.

    In addition, 12,200 farmers in 23 provinces are expected to be trained on e-commerce applications and certification for Good Agricultural Practice, supporting the development of a national agriculture platform.

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  • Laos’ sprouting durian industry strives for exports to China

    Laos’ sprouting durian industry strives for exports to China

    Durian production in Laos has come to fruition and the industry is seeking opportunities to export to China – the world’s largest consumer of the stinky fruit. Tao Jian, a 54-year-old Chinese entrepreneur and the owner of Jinguo, a company with 50,000 durian trees planted on the Bolaven Plateau in southern Laos, recently celebrated the first harvest from his.

    Though the region is primarily known as Laos’ coffee hub, it could soon gain recognition for durians.

    Tao said the country’s fertile soil is ideal for farming the fruit and a hybrid durian variety, a mix between Malaysian and local cultivars, has been successfully developed there, leading to high-quality produce.

    “I believe Laos will soon become the world’s fourth-largest durian producer, after Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia,” he told Nikkei Asia.

    While the durian industry has been expanding rapidly in several Southeast Asian countries, large-scale durian farming has only been sprouting recently in Laos, where the fruit used to be grown mostly in the backyards of local families.

    At a meeting between the Lao Agricultural Business Association, representatives of Lao durian growers, and Chinese agricultural importers in August, Bounthieng Latthanavong, president of the association, stated that durian production methods in Laos have become more professional and robust, positioning the industry for success in global markets, as reported by the official Lao News Agency.

    Elavanh Latpakdee, a representative of durian farmers in Laos, said the association has 170 farms spanning 20,000 hectares and many trees have started producing fruits, yielding around 900 tons of durian per year. It expects production to rise to 24,300 tons worth more than US$155.5 million.

    Durian farming in Laos has come a long way, but the country has not yet been allowed to export the fruit to China.

    However, that goal might not be too far off. Bounchanh Kombounyasith, Laos’ director general of the Department of Agriculture, said market access documents were being prepared and Lao durians will soon be exported to China, a state-owned Chinese newspaper reported late last month.

    As the top importer of the fruit, China procured 1.4 million tons of durians worth $6.7 billion in 2023, with Thailand and Vietnam being the top suppliers.

    In the second quarter of this year, Thailand shipped about $2.67 billion worth of durian to China, accounting for 75% of imports. Vietnam supplied most of the remaining shipments during the period, the South China Morning Post reported, citing Chinese customs data.

    China’s burgeoning demand has been transforming the durian industry in Southeast Asia.

    Many farmers in Thailand and Vietnam have become wealthy from the fruit.

    And it might also turn the sprouting durian industry in Laos into an economic boon for the country.

    China is Laos’ second largest trading partner and its top investor, China Daily reported, citing Chinese customs data.

    Bilateral trade between the two nations hit a record $7.1 billion in 2023. It amounted to $4.9 billion in the first seven months of this year, a 30.3% increase from a year ago.

    Besides the natural advantages noted by Tao, Laos’ durian industry has been attracting investment from Chinese businessmen who possess the resources to develop the sector. Many of these investors are turning to Laos to establish durian farms with the aim of shipping the fruit back to China.

    The Laos-China railway, launched in December 2021, might add to this momentum by reducing the travel time from Vientiane, the capital of Laos, to Kunming, a key trade center in southwestern China, to under 10 hours.

    The industry also receives the support of foreign professionals like Duangdavone Sulayavongsa, a durian cultivation expert with nearly 20 years of experience in Thailand.

    He believes that Lao durians hold the potential to become a major export commodity, greatly benefiting the country’s economy.

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  • Some markets ramp up imports of Vietnamese durian

    Some markets ramp up imports of Vietnamese durian

    Vietnam’s durian exports to several markets like Thailand, Hong Kong and South Korea rose by double digits year-on-year in the first seven months.

    China remained the biggest buyer as exports rose by nearly 53% to US$1.47 billion, accounting for 92% of all shipments.

    Thailand was second with $65 million, up 51%, followed by Hong Kong, $19 million, up 24%.

    Exports to South Korea, Papua New Guinea, Japan, and Cambodia increased by at least 50%.

    Total exports were also up 50% to $1.6 billion.

    Ngo Tuong Vy, CEO of fruit exporter company Chanh Thu, said Vietnamese durian is more competitively priced than those from Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines.

    Her company saw exports rise by 30% this year because of a decline in Thai output due to unfavorable weather.

    Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Fruits & Vegetables Association, said many countries are craving Vietnamese durian because of its high quality and availability all year round.

    Vietnam and China’s recent protocol on frozen durian exports would also help boost exports, he added.

    Vietnam exported $2.3 billion worth of durian last year, 90% of it to China.

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  • Thai durian dominates Chinese market

    Thai durian dominates Chinese market

    Thailand is consolidating its position as the leading supplier of durians to China, reported the South China Morning Post.

    Shipments of fresh durians from Thailand to China – the world’s top consumer of the pungent fruits – rebounded in the second quarter after a drop earlier this year. It is attributed to a seasonal harvest spike and a lasting reputation for quality.

    Data from China Customs showed that durian imports from Thailand reached nearly $2.67 billion, accounting for 75% of total fruit imports. This figure is a significant improvement compared to the 42.5% recorded in the first quarter of this year. In addition, Thailand accounted for 68% of China’s durian import market share in 2023.

    Thailand’s main competitor, Vietnam, supplied almost all of the remaining shipments in the second quarter. Vietnamese durians are more competitive in terms of price than their Thai peers in China due to lower transport costs thanks to the use of land border.

    According to Liang Yan, an economist at Willamette University in the U.S. state of Oregon, Thailand has long had a “first mover advantage” among Chinese consumers.

    The second quarter of each year marks the major harvest season for Thai durians, observers said, while consistency of flavour and brand recognition grant additional appeal.

    Thailand’s increased share in the second quarter can be mainly attributed to the seasonal peak of Thai durian production, their strong and established trade networks, and consumer preference for Thai durians during this time, said Lim Chin Khee, an adviser with the Durian Academy, an institution that trains Malaysian growers.

    China, the world’s biggest buyer of durians, imported 1.4 million tonnes in 2023. Dubbed “king of fruits” by many consumers, it is treated as a delicacy and has even been given as a gift to celebrate special occasions such as weddings.

    Thai durians remain popular in China largely because the flavour seldom wavers, though the fruits lack the variety of taste, said Song Seng Wun, an economic adviser at the Singapore-based financial services firm CGS.

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  • Vietnam gains approval to export frozen durian

    Vietnam gains approval to export frozen durian

    Vietnam is allowed to export frozen durian and fresh coconuts to China under an official quota, following the signing of protocols between the two countries on Monday.

    These protocols signed by Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and China’s General Administration of Customs in Beijing under the witness of Vietnam’s Communist Party General Secretary and President To Lam and China’s Communist Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping are expected to increase shipment of the fruits.

    Another protocol that was signed allow the export of Vietnamese crocodiles to China under official quota.

    The protocols, which are key components of the Goods Trade Agreement and took effect immediately upon signing, include specific requirements for animal and plant quarantine as well as food safety.

    The protocols, which integral parts of the Goods Trade Agreement and took effect immediately after signing, consist of specific requirements on animal and plant quarantine and food safety.

    All exporters that have completed necessary procedures and meet the import country’s quarantine requirements can deliver their products across the border.

    Agriculture minister Le Minh Hoan said that the three protocols are the results of negotiations between the two countries, which allows Vietnamese frozen durian and fresh coconuts to reach a market of 1.4 billion people.

    Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of Vietnam Fruits and Vegetables Association, said that the majority of Vietnamese frozen durian has so far been exported to mostly Thailand, the U.S. and Europe with a total value of several hundred million U.S. dollars a year.

    With China opening its door, exports of this fruit will likely surge, he added.

    Last year Vietnam exported 500,000 tons of fresh durian with a total value of $2.3 billion, in which China bought 90%.

    Vietnam now has 154,000 hectares of durian with a total yield of 1.2 million tons, and the latter figure grows around 15% a year.

    The country is also a major exporter of coconuts with 175,000 hectares of the fruit, mostly in the Mekong Delta region.

    With the new protocols signed, frozen durian exports are expected to reach $400-500 million this year, while fresh coconut exports are set to increase by $200-300 million.

    To Lam and his spouse are on a state visit to China from Aug.18-20.

  • Durian exports to top $3B in 2024

    Durian exports to top $3B in 2024

    Durian exports are forecast to surpass US$3 billion this year, according to the Vietnam Vegetable and Fruit Association (Vinafruit).

    Vietnam earned more than $1.3 billion from shipping durian abroad in the first six months of 2024, up 40% year-on-year.

    China has to date licensed over 700 growing area codes and nearly 200 packaging codes for Vietnamese businesses to export the fruit to this market.

    Vinafruit said a protocol on the official export of frozen durian to China is being promoted and likely to be announced soon.

    China spends about $1 billion on importing frozen durian every year. If Vietnam can export this type of product via the official channel to the neighboring market and hold a 30% market share, it can earn some $300 – 500 million in revenue, equivalent to about 10% of this year’s estimated durian export turnover.

    Vietnam harvests durian all year round, which gives the country’s businesses a competitive edge. This year, however, durian prices are likely to surge twice or thrice compared to current prices as traders rush to purchase the fruit for export.

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  • Durian exports rise by 45% in first half

    Durian exports rise by 45% in first half

    Vietnam exported US$1.32 billion worth of durian in the first six months of 2024, up 45% year-on-year, according to customs data.

    It accounted for 65% of all fruit exports during the period and is growing increasingly popular in many key markets.

    China was the largest importer, accounting for over 92% of Vietnam’s durian exports.

    Its imports increased by 46% from the same period last year.

    Thailand was the second largest market for Vietnamese durian, with shipments increasing by 90.5% to $47 million.

    Exports to Japan doubled from a year ago to $2.6 million. Cambodia bought $1.6 million worth of the fruit from Vietnam, a 23-fold increase.

    Currently the monthong variety is the most favored for its taste, aroma, small seeds, firm texture, and longer shelf life.

    Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, expected durian exports to skyrocket in the second half, fueled by the harvest of the fruit in the Central Highlands from July to October.

    Furthermore, Vietnam and China have wrapped up negotiations and will soon sign a protocol for the export of frozen durian.

    With all this in the works, Nguyen expected exports for the year to hit $3 billion.

    But there are challenges, he said, with some shipments to China recently being flagged for containing banned substances.

    Vietnamese authorities have been discussing the issue with their Chinese counterparts and investigating the cause.

    Inspections have indicated that the contamination did not occur at orchards, and so traders, packaging facilities and exporters have been urged to strictly comply with quality control regulations.

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  • Export permit hurdles for Malaysia’s fresh durian shipment to China

    Export permit hurdles for Malaysia’s fresh durian shipment to China

    Malaysia is preparing to deliver its first shipment of fresh durians to China, but obtaining approved permits might be difficult for exporters and farmers.

    Malaysia was granted permission to export fresh durians to China under a phytosanitary protocol signed on June 19 during Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s visit to the country.

    However, while the protocol gave the country the green light to export fresh durians, the actual export date was not confirmed, according to Malaysia’s national news agency. Earlier this month, Malaysia’s Agriculture Department director general, Nor Sam Alwi, noted the country is preparing to deliver the first 1,000 tons of fresh premium durians to China, but the export agreement has yet to be finalized.

    “We expect (it exported in) October but everything depends on the speed and approval from the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC)

    While Malaysian farmers are eager to capitalize on the durian market, they must wait until September for their applications for approved permits to be reviewed by China’s customs.

    But getting a permit is not just about waiting, as farmers and exporters must also meet the strict requirements set by China.

    “China requires a certain quantity and quality before accepting the fruits,” Food Security and Cooperative Development Committee chairman Fahmi Zainol said. “There needs to be enough quantity of the same ‘brand’ (type) of the fruit, but Penang farmers who have a mixed variety of durian species face difficulties in fulfilling this (requirement).”

    Durian farmer Tan Chee Keat, who has been exporting fresh durians to China for eight years under a special approval, added that they must also adhere to GACC’s many protocols and fulfill hazard analysis and critical control point procedures for food safety management.

    “It is not easy and not many farms here can do so.”

    Malaysian durian expert Lim Chin Khee said that the country’s current production of fresh durians is sufficient to export to China, but maintaining the fruit’s quality, especially during transport, might be a challenge.

    “Ensuring the freshness of durians during transport requires robust cold chain logistics infrastructure, which may necessitate significant investment and coordination,” he noted.

    Abdul Rashid Bahri, director general of Malaysia’s Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority, said that approximately 70 packing centers across the nation are currently under review by the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry.

    Additionally, over 200 durian farms that meet national agricultural standards are seeking to undergo the auditing process to become eligible for export, he added.

    Before the signing of the protocol, Malaysia had been selling durians as pulp, paste, and frozen whole fruit to China.

    Last year, it exported RM1.19 billion (US$252.2 million) worth of durian to China, making the country its key market.

  • Durian prices jump 32% as Thai supply dries up

    Durian prices jump 32% as Thai supply dries up

    Monthong durian prices have risen by 32% in southern Vietnam in the last two months to VND103,000 (US$4.05) per kilogram amid growing demand from China and other foreign markets.

    Traders are competing to buy from provinces such as Dak Lak, Binh Phuoc and Tien Giang.

    Hoa An, a trader, said demand in mainland China has been rising and therefore traders are willing to pay high prices to meet its needs.

    Other markets such as Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Australia are also buying more Vietnamese durian, he added.

    Another trader, Manh Khuong, said Thailand has run out of supply for now and therefore Chinese buyers are sourcing more from Vietnam.

    But the Thai durian crop is set to ripen in another two weeks, and Vietnamese prices are likely to drop then, he added.

    Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Fruits & Vegetables Association, said since May China has doubled its monthly purchases of Vietnamese durian.

    Vietnam’s exports were worth nearly $500 million in May and are estimated to reach $600 million in June, he said.

    This means the country exported around $1.5 billion worth of the fruit in the first half of the year, he said.

    “More stringent quality control is needed to ensure the country meets its full-year export target of $3.5 billion.”

    Vegetable and fruit exports overall are expected to rise by 15-20% this year to around $7 billion.

  • Durian exports soar by 74%

    Durian exports soar by 74%

    According to customs data, Vietnam exported US$919 million worth of durian in the first five months, up 74% year-on-year.

    This made durian its top fruit export at 3.5 times that of dragon fruit in second place.

    Exports of the odoriferous fruit were worth $450 million in May alone, more than double the previous month’s value and an 34% higher than a year ago, the General Department of Customs reported.

    They were estimated at $600 million in June, according to Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (Vinafruit).

    China has been Vietnam’s largest durian importer this year, he said.

    Vietnam harvests the fruit all year long, helping it avoid direct competition with durian from Thailand as the latter’s harvest is seasonal, he said.

    Being closer to China it also has lower transportation costs and faster shipping times.

    But some of its shipments have recently been flagged in China for containing banned substances, damaging the reputation of Vietnamese durian, Nguyen said.

    He underlined the need to strengthen quality control at both orchards and packaging facilities to ensure no contaminated fruit is shipped.

    In the first five months of 2024 Vietnam exported over $2.65 billion worth of fruits and vegetables, up 30.9% from the same period last year.

  • Chinese traders eager to buy Hoang Anh Gia Lai’s durian from Laos

    Chinese traders are looking to buy durian from Vietnamese agriculture giant Hoang Anh Gia Lai three months before its first harvest of the fruit.

    The company’s 1,200 hectares of durian in Laos has many five-year old trees, each producing 20-30 fruits of between two and four kilograms.

    Around 200-300 hectares are set to yield ripe fruits in August, but traders have already been inquiring, starting last month, the company’s chairman, Doan Nguyen Duc, said.

    “We have yet to sell because we are waiting for better prices as harvest season nears,” he told VnExpress in an interview.

    He expected the company to earn revenues of VND200 billion (US$7.9 million) from 2,000 tons of durian this year and possibly VND1 trillion next year.

    Hoang Anh Gia Lai has hired 10 durian experts from Thailand as consultants, and they will visit every year to ensure quality.

    Duc said the Chinese durian market is set to become more competitive with Malaysia successfully negotiating a deal to export fresh durian to it.

    But there is potential for export to other markets such as the U.S., India and Japan, he said.

    In Vietnam, his company has 60 ha of durian that are set to fruit for a second year.

    It eyes revenues of VND7.7 trillion ($302 million) this year, up 20.3% from last year, mainly from durian, banana and pork.

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  • Thailand heatwave gives Vietnam edge in durian exports to China

    Thailand heatwave gives Vietnam edge in durian exports to China

    Thai industry insiders say the ongoing heatwave in Thailand might reduce durian production, allowing Vietnam to increase its supply to China.

    A heatwave in April and May reduced Thailand’s harvest, which normally commands higher prices than its Vietnamese peers.

    In April the country recorded a temperature of 44.2 degrees Celsius, compared to the all-time record of 44.6 degrees last year. So far this year Thailand has recorded 61 people dying over heatstroke, higher than the total number in 2023.

    High heat causes the skin to crack or the fibers to dry out in some durians, Sam Sin, development director at S&F Produce Group, a Thai firm that exports durian to China said.

    In China’s Zhejiang province, fruit importer Huang Dapeng mentioned in a WeChat forum that some durians were becoming “overheated,” leading to their sale at prices below the market rate.

    Farmers reported that the heat is causing durians to ripen more quickly, preventing them from reaching their full size and reducing their market value.

    According to China’s General Administration of Customs, in April, China’s import price for Thai durians was US$5.80 per kilogram, marginally higher than the overall average of US$5.38 per kilogram. In contrast, Vietnamese durians were priced at US$4.22 per kilogram.

    Thai durians exported to China in the first four months of 2024 had lost 49% of their value over the same period last year.

    Another concern for Thai durian growers is drought, which could reduce the yields.

    The serve weather condition may reduce Thailand’s durian production this year by 42%, or around 540,000 tons, the Nation quoted Aat Pisanwanich, an expert on international economics and adviser to Intelligent Research Consultancy as saying.

    Vietnam gains on Thailand

    Drought and heatwaves increase durian production costs in Thailand, as farmers face additional expenses to transport water to their farms to sustain their durian trees.

    Conversely, Vietnamese exporters, who gained permission to sell fresh durians in China about three years ago, benefit from cost savings by shipping the fruit across a single land border.

    This logistical advantage results in lower prices for Vietnamese durians. In April, China’s import price for Vietnamese durians was 27% lower than that of Thai durians, at $4.22 per kilogram, according to data from China’s General Administration of Custom

    In the first quarter of this year, Vietnam exported 36,800 tonnes of durian to China, compared to just 17,900 tonnes from Thailand, official data show.

    Thailand maintained a 66% market share in China during the first four months of this year. However, according to Chinese customs data, Vietnam’s share by value rose by 82% in the period.

    Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of Vietnam Fruits & Vegetables Association, said that farmers in the southern region have successfully applied new techniques in growing durian.

    “Durian is a strong advantage for Vietnam in competing for the China market. There are times when Vietnamese sellers are the only ones with supply”, he said.

    Last year China bought $2.1 billion worth of durian from Vietnam, but the figure can reach as high as $3 billion this year, he added.

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  • Thailand targets $3.5B durian exports in 2024

    Thailand targets $3.5B durian exports in 2024

    Thailand is poised to export approximately one million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion baht ($3.5 billion) this year, according to Thai PBS World.<

    In line with Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s directives, the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives is tasked with drafting regulations to prevent the sale of unripe or inferior durians.

    This includes setting dry weight standards for various durian varieties: 32% for Monthong, 30% for Chanee, and 28% for Kra Dum, as detailed by Chai Wacharonke, a spokesperson for Srettha.

    The initiative aims to discourage the premature harvesting and selling of durians, thereby improving the fruit’s quality and export competitiveness, said Chai.

    Furthering its commitment to quality and market stability, Thailand recently signed a memorandum of understanding with China to promote and secure stable prices for tropical fruit exports from Thailand to China, the English platform of the Chinese state news agency China News Service, reports.

    This agreement facilitates the importation of approximately 20,000 tons of durians and mangosteens, worth over 3 billion baht ($82.44 million), by China from Thailand from April to June this year.

    Durian export, generating 120 billion baht in revenue last year, plays an increasingly crucial role in Thailand’s economy.

    Thailand, producing 900,000 tons of durian annually, exports nearly two-thirds of this output primarily to China.

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  • Vietnam beats Thailand at durian exports to China

    Vietnam beats Thailand at durian exports to China

    Vietnam has surpassed Thailand as the top durian exporter to China, shipping 32,750 tons in the first two months of 2024.

    This accounted for 57% of China’s imports, up from 32% last year, according to Vietnam Customs.

    Vietnam’s export of the fruit to China rose by 2.4 times year-on-year.

    Thailand saw its exports plunge by half to 19,000 tons.

    At US$4,916 per container, Vietnam’s export price was almost 20% lower than Thailand’s.

    Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Fruits & Vegetables Association, said Vietnam’s weather allows durian to be grown all year round.

    It shares a border with China, which offers it an advantage in transportation.

    Farmers have been hiking durian prices in recent months thanks to high demand from China.

    In March the prices of the highest quality Monthong variety in the Mekong Delta were up 15% from a year earlier to VND218,000-230,000 ($8.7-9.2) per kilogram.

    Vietnam’s durian exports are expected to top $3.5 billion this year, up 66% from last year.

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