Durian from China? Hainan gears up for first harvest of Southeast Asia’s ‘king of fruits’
- About 2.45 million kilograms of durian produced on the tropical island of Hainan in southern China will go on sale in June
- Analysts say home-grown durian could reduce prices for the popular fruit in China, but it will not challenge Southeast Asian exports
China is gearing up for the harvest of its first domestic durian crop this summer after more than four years of cultivation, although it is not expected to challenge Southeast Asia’s stranglehold on sales of the pungent smelling fruit.
At the Durian Base in Sanya, 93.3 hectares (230.6 acres) of durian trees are bearing young fruit, with an estimated yield of 116.64 kilograms per hectare and an estimated output value of 6,665 yuan per hectare
Agricultural specialists from Southeast Asia helped plant the crop and Chinese specialists improved the imported seeds to better suit local conditions. The durian is expected to have a higher sugar level and growth cycle to adapt to market demand, according to CCTV.
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Malaysian durian plantation goes hi-tech to maximise production
Sanya is aiming to construct a durian industrial estate spanning 3,333 hectares within the next three to five years, which is anticipated to generate an output value of 5 billion yuan (US$727 million) by 2028.