China’s summer durian market heats up as Thailand, Vietnam vie for top spot

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, a change in fortunes attributed to a seasonal harvest spike and a lasting reputation for quality.

Thailand’s chief competitor, Vietnam, claimed all but a trickle of the remaining shipments over the second quarter. Vietnamese durians sometimes sell for less than their Thai peers in China as shipping costs are defrayed by the use of a land border.

Vietnam’s quick growth in exports of fresh durian since 2022 – before which Thailand had a functional monopoly – may have prompted growers to pursue shipment volume at the expense of quality, analysts said.

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

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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.

The country’s own efforts to grow its own crop on the tropical island province of Hainan are still in their early stages, with production scale and development level presently unable to match the more mature industries in Southeast Asia.

Trade data for July made available on Tuesday valued Thai imports