China was the world’s largest durian importer in the first nine months of 2024.

The Office of International Trade Promotion in Guangzhou released a report on China’s fresh durian imports, stating that China is the world’s largest durian importer. In the first 9 months of 2024, China imported 1.38 million tons of fresh durian, worth 6.2 billion dollars, reflecting the continuous increase in demand. Thai entrepreneurs should therefore focus on controlling product quality and standards in order to maintain their position in this important market.

Durian: A popular fruit in Chinese markets

In 2023, durian consumption in China accounted for 91% of the total global durian consumption. According to data from China Customs, the durian import volume in 2023 was 1.42 million tons, worth 6.7 billion US dollars, while from January to September 2024, the durian import volume reached 1.38 million tons, and the trend is still growing.

Fierce competition in the ASEAN market
In September 2014, China imported 167,000 tons of durian from Vietnam, worth $640.7 million, a significant increase compared to the previous year, with an increase of 90% in volume and 71.5% in value. Meanwhile, durian imports from Thailand in the same month were 58,000 tons, worth $243.2 million. Although the volume increased by 5.3%, the value decreased by 8.2% year-on-year, reflecting the fierce competition in this market.

Transportation: A key factor in maintaining the market
One of the challenges for Thai durian exporters is to deliver their goods quickly and freshly. The opening of the China-Laos railway has made transportation more efficient, taking only two days to transport from Thailand to Kunming, which used to take seven days by sea or five days by road. This method has also reduced the transportation cost per container from 70,000 yuan to only 20,000 yuan, reducing costs by 70%, resulting in a drop in durian prices in the Chinese market by 20% to 50%, which has helped to enhance Thailand’s competitiveness.

Key strategies for Thai entrepreneurs

Despite the high competition in the Chinese durian market, Thailand remains the largest exporter, with export volumes in the first 9 months of 2024 at 755,000 tons, worth $3.73 billion. However, Thai entrepreneurs need to:

– Quality control: Prevent problems of unripe durian and pests to build confidence among consumers.

– Develop breeds: to meet the demands of the modern market

– Improve transportation: Make full use of the China-Laos railway.

The future of Thai durian in the Chinese market

While competitors such as Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines are vying for market share, Thai fresh durian still has a strong point in terms of quality. If it can maintain standards and develop to meet consumer demand, it will help Thai durian maintain its leadership in the Chinese market in the long run.

Source of information: Thansettakij