In the race to export durian to the Chinese market, Vietnam has recorded a breakthrough in both turnover and market share.
According to statistics from the Chinese Customs, in 2024, China imported 1.56 million tons of durian, worth nearly 7 billion USD, an increase of 9.4% in volume and 4.0% in value compared to 2023.
In terms of supply structure, in 2024, China imported 809.88 thousand tons of durian from Thailand, worth over 4 billion USD, a decrease of 12.8% in volume and 12.1% in value compared to 2023.
On the contrary, China increased its imports of durians from Vietnam in 2024, increasing by 49.4% in volume and 37.5% in value compared to 2023, reaching 736.72 thousand tons, worth 2.94 billion USD.
Durian makes a spectacular breakthrough in the Chinese market.
Statistics from the General Department of Vietnam Customs show that durian is an important item, accounting for 45% of Vietnam’s total fruit and vegetable export turnover in 2024, with a volume of 9,190,000 tons and a value of over 3.2 billion USD. Compared to 2023, this is an increase of 46% in volume and 43% in value.
In the past five years, durian exports have increased sharply by about 28 times, from 116 million USD in 2020 to 3.2 billion USD in 2024. Especially, the export value of durian from Vietnam has been up strongly since 2023, after China allowed official exports.
Thai agricultural officials predict that the country’s durian will continue to face challenges in the coming time. Because the production of durian in Vietnam is increasing rapidly, in about 1-2 years, it could be equal to Thailand.
In fact, since Vietnam signed the protocol to officially export durians to China, the media and experts in Thailand have issued many warnings to farmers about the competition from Vietnamese products.
To date, in addition to exporting fresh whole durians, Vietnam has signed an additional protocol with China for exporting frozen durians to this market. According to Mr. Le Minh Hoan, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, durian exports to China will gradually contribute to increasing the proportion of processed products, which always have a value 10 times, even 100 times, greater than the value of exporting raw goods that we are seeking.
In 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development expects that the area of durian in Vietnam will increase to 160,000 hectares, with an estimated output of 1.55 million tons. This shows that the supply of durian continues to increase significantly and is becoming more abundant.