https://www.scmp.com/rss/519893/feed China is the world’s largest durian market by a wide margin, importing billions of US dollars worth of the so-called King of Fruits annually. Most of the spiky, pungent fruit comes from tropical climates in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations bloc, but China also has ambitious aspirations to cultivate homegrown varieties in its southernmost province of Hainan. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Vietnam saw its exports of durians to China soar by US$500 million last year, as the country shook off earlier phytosanitary issues and leveraged its geographic advantages to outcompete its Southeast Asian rivals in the lucrative Chinese market. Growers from Vietnam shipped US$3.44 billion of the spiky, pungent fruit to China in 2025, up from US$2.94 billion the previous year, Chinese customs data showed. Leading supplier Thailand, meanwhile, lost market share as its exports to China remained... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341002/vietnam-grabs-bigger-slice-chinas-durian-market-thailand-loses-ground?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341002/vietnam-grabs-bigger-slice-chinas-durian-market-thailand-loses-ground?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Laos has received approval to begin exporting fresh durians to China, becoming the latest Southeast Asian nation to vie for a slice of the vast Chinese market for the tropical fruit. China’s General Administration of Customs said on its website that Laos was given clearance to begin exports from this past Friday as long as its shipments met phytosanitary standards. Laos could emerge as a challenger in China’s increasingly crowded durian market, as it benefits from cheap labour, logistical... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336771/laos-cleared-export-fresh-durians-china-malaysia-thailand-face-new-rival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336771/laos-cleared-export-fresh-durians-china-malaysia-thailand-face-new-rival?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 01:00:14 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Indonesia is looking to take a bite out of the lucrative durian trade to China following stronger bilateral cooperation in the sector, according to the Indonesian Durian Plantation Association. Since Indonesia signed a frozen durian export protocol with China’s General Administration of Customs last May, eight local companies have passed the verification process, according to an Antara news agency report on Wednesday. This means that Indonesian producers can export directly to China, bypassing... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3334535/indonesian-durian-sellers-smell-big-opportunity-china-worlds-largest-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3334535/indonesian-durian-sellers-smell-big-opportunity-china-worlds-largest-market?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 10:00:16 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings There’s a new gold rush in Southeast Asia, but the prize is not quite so shiny – think green and spiky. A retired police chief is chasing it. Someone else just built a flashy new house with the income earned from it. Cashew and coffee plantations are being flattened to make space. Sorting and processing sheds dot the roadsides. We’re talking about Vietnam’s production of durians for China’s voracious consumer market – and the risks that come with it. To get a closer look, take a road trip with... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3331088/reporters-notebook-how-china-helps-vietnamese-durian-farmer-earn-us30000-hectare?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3331088/reporters-notebook-how-china-helps-vietnamese-durian-farmer-earn-us30000-hectare?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Nov 2025 03:00:11 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Indonesia’s intent to export durians directly to China in search of higher profits will hinge on mastering the sanitary standards and cold-chain storage that intermediary countries have provided to date, analysts said. Sudaryono, deputy agriculture minister of the Southeast Asian archipelago, has announced that Indonesia is “actively seeking opportunities” to export directly to China as a way of increasing profits from an average of 10 to 30 per cent, the national news agency Antara reported... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3328793/indonesias-bid-ship-durians-straight-china-rides-refrigeration-sanitation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3328793/indonesias-bid-ship-durians-straight-china-rides-refrigeration-sanitation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Oct 2025 07:00:11 +0000 The Star The Star Malaysia has raked in over 6 billion ringgit (US$1.4 billion) from durian exports to mainland China in just seven years, and now the government is eyeing new markets in Taiwan and Peru to keep the momentum growing. The agriculture and food security ministry said durian exports to China amounted to 115,359 tonnes or 6.37 billion ringgit between 2018 and June this year, with the figures based on the issuing of phytosanitary certificates. “The ministry, through the agriculture department, is... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3328078/malaysia-rakes-us14-billion-china-durian-exports-plots-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3328078/malaysia-rakes-us14-billion-china-durian-exports-plots-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 03:33:47 +0000 Wee Kek Koon Wee Kek Koon Native to Southeast Asia, durian is a highly divisive fruit. Some people love it, while others cannot stand being in the same room with one. A lot of this comes down to biology and culture. The fruit’s (in)famous smell comes from sulphur compounds. Genetic variations in olfactory receptors mean some people detect more of the sweet, custardy notes, while others are overwhelmed by the strong stench of week-old garbage. Culture matters too. In Southeast Asia, most of us grew up being told that the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3325978/how-chinas-new-durian-express-recalls-emperors-efforts-sate-consorts-lychee-love?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3325978/how-chinas-new-durian-express-recalls-emperors-efforts-sate-consorts-lychee-love?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Sep 2025 00:45:09 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings To get Southeast Asia’s coveted durians more quickly into the hands of Chinese consumers, a port operator in the relatively far-flung market of northeastern China is building a transit centre to handle seaborne imports of the pungent, spiky and often pricey fruit. Liaoning Port Group, part of which operates the major sea terminal in Dalian, kicked off construction of the Dalian Northeast Asia Fruit Transit Centre in late August, a group representative said this month. That project will... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3324744/chinas-durian-express-service-bring-asean-fruit-northeast-region-faster-fresher?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3324744/chinas-durian-express-service-bring-asean-fruit-northeast-region-faster-fresher?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 00:00:09 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng The first Cambodian durians arrived in China’s central province of Henan by air over the weekend, marking the official launch of a direct air corridor for fresh fruit between the two nations. The two-tonne shipment was transported using cold chain logistics in just four hours, allowing Chinese consumers to enjoy the fruit as if it were freshly harvested, according to a statement released Monday on the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia’s official WeChat account. Durian is now the fifth fresh fruit... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3321602/chinas-durian-diplomacy-expands-cambodias-first-direct-air-shipments-fruit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3321602/chinas-durian-diplomacy-expands-cambodias-first-direct-air-shipments-fruit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Aug 2025 04:00:09 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Chinese authorities have tightened oversight of imported Vietnamese durians this year after finding “excessive levels” of two potentially harmful substances in the popular, high-value fruit. The General Administration of Customs of China now requires enhanced pre-export safety checks and compliance testing before shipments leave the source country, with “qualified” test reports to be attached to durians, a customs official told the Post, requesting anonymity due to internal rules. She said the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320379/china-toughens-import-rules-vietnamese-durians-after-detecting-health-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320379/china-toughens-import-rules-vietnamese-durians-after-detecting-health-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Aug 2025 04:00:13 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Growers of durian and coconut in Southeast Asia are expecting a hectic time ahead as they grapple with rising demand from mainland Chinese buyers who prefer high-quality fresh fruits against the backdrop of a weak consumption market. Malaysian fresh durians, which have witnessed an export boom since last year, are still in high demand ahead of the peak season in August, according to Guo Min, ­deputy marketing director with distributor Joy Wing Mau’s China operations. “The growth trajectory... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3319674/pre-ciie-chinas-imports-fruits-grow-big-appetite-durians-coconuts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3319674/pre-ciie-chinas-imports-fruits-grow-big-appetite-durians-coconuts?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Jul 2025 03:45:07 +0000 Ralph Jennings,Mia Nulimaimaiti Ralph Jennings,Mia Nulimaimaiti China’s imports of fresh durians have fallen this year because of stricter sanitation checks at the border, according to people who follow the trade. The value of fresh durian imports in the first five months of this year fell by 32.5 per cent year on year to US$1.93 billion, according to the General Administration of Customs. By volume, imports were down 32.9 per cent to 390,900 tonnes. Hardest hit was Vietnam, which saw nearly 62 per cent year-on-year declines in both the value and volume of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3315936/chinas-durian-imports-plunge-stricter-checks-catch-out-traders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3315936/chinas-durian-imports-plunge-stricter-checks-catch-out-traders?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Jun 2025 09:04:57 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Cambodia has become the latest Southeast Asian nation to enter the lucrative Chinese durian market, where it aims to take a bite out of the market shares of leaders Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia. China’s General Administration of Customs began in late April allowing shipments of fresh durians from Cambodia that comply with food safety laws, after President Xi Jinping signed a broader agreement with officials in Phnom Penh earlier in the month. But Cambodia will need to work to win over... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3310648/cambodia-starts-selling-durians-china-vying-rival-thailand-vietnam-and-malaysia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3310648/cambodia-starts-selling-durians-china-vying-rival-thailand-vietnam-and-malaysia?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 May 2025 03:00:10 +0000 From dawn to midnight, Huang Qijun nurtures and tends to 10,056 durian trees, every day. By late March, the mild weather in China’s southernmost province of Hainan – with occasional overcast skies and light showers – ushered in the flowering season for durian trees. And Huang got to work. On this nearly 40-hectare (99-acre) durian orchard that is mostly managed by only one caretaker, much of the work is handled by machines: each tree is equipped with sensors that monitor temperature and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3307087/1-man-10000-durian-trees-chinas-planting-pains-give-way-golden-home-grown-bounty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3307087/1-man-10000-durian-trees-chinas-planting-pains-give-way-golden-home-grown-bounty?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Apr 2025 22:00:22 +0000 Indonesia is expanding cultivation and completing legal procedures in preparation to begin exporting durians to China, offering consumers a new – and possibly cheaper – alternative to fruit from Thailand and Vietnam. The move could open up a lucrative new market given Indonesia’s large durian industry and China’s seemingly limitless appetite for the pungent fruit. But Indonesia’s growers might not have the capacity to begin serving Chinese consumers right away, as domestic demand swallows up so... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3303171/indonesias-vast-durian-industry-poised-begin-exports-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3303171/indonesias-vast-durian-industry-poised-begin-exports-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Mar 2025 23:00:07 +0000 China’s middle class consumers have been tightening their purse strings, but their appetite for durian – pungent, spiky fruit mostly imported from Southeast Asia – continues to grow. In Chinese cities, durians have transcended their status as a fruit to become a fashionable choice for young consumers. The catering sector has responded with “everything can be + durian” promotions that have spawned a proliferation of durian-themed restaurants with offerings ranging from drinks and desserts to... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3292483/chinas-growing-appetite-durian-spurs-market-innovations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3292483/chinas-growing-appetite-durian-spurs-market-innovations?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Dec 2024 01:00:13 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik Durians grown in China could be missing or extremely low in some key nutrients, according to a study into the nutritional profile of the tropical fruit taking root in Hainan. In the first study of its kind, scientists found that, compared with durians grown in Southeast Asia, the Chinese-grown fruit displayed a surprisingly different nutritional profile. For example, Monthong, or golden pillow, durian grown in China did not contain the antioxidant quercetin at all, while its Thai counterpart... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3291480/scientists-find-key-nutrient-missing-china-grown-durian?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3291480/scientists-find-key-nutrient-missing-china-grown-durian?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Dec 2024 02:00:16 +0000 Southeast Asia’s China-focused durian producers are concerned about a looming supply glut and economic headwinds that may dull China’s appetite for imported fruit, but they have shrugged off the impact of China’s durian self-sufficiency drive. For several years, major durian exporters from Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries have congregated at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai to sniff out new orders. Few say they are concerned about the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3285800/southeast-asian-durian-growers-shrug-threat-chinese-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3285800/southeast-asian-durian-growers-shrug-threat-chinese-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Nov 2024 06:00:10 +0000 China’s durian consumers, the world’s biggest fans of the spiky pungent fruit, are expected to find not only consistently stable quality but also higher prices with Malaysia extending the intellectual property status of its popular Musang King variety – a move that comes as Chinese authorities have suspended some imports from Thailand. The Intellectual Property Corporation administrative body in Kuala Lumpur renewed a protection certificate until March 2034, according to the government-owned... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3280552/malaysia-renews-trademark-luxury-durians-sold-china-some-thai-fruits-suspended?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3280552/malaysia-renews-trademark-luxury-durians-sold-china-some-thai-fruits-suspended?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Oct 2024 09:00:09 +0000 Malaysia’s first shipment of fresh durian to the giant China market has arrived, vying for demand from eager consumers who are used to buying the spiky and pungent fruit from Thailand and Vietnam. Deputy agriculture and food security minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup said on Saturday that exporters had begun shipping 40 tonnes of fresh durian in three phases, according to Malaysia’s national Bernama news agency. China is the world’s biggest buyer of durian and imported 1.4 million tonnes last... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3276033/malaysia-starts-luxury-durian-exports-china-indonesia-sniffs-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3276033/malaysia-starts-luxury-durian-exports-china-indonesia-sniffs-market?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Aug 2024 04:00:18 +0000 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. Durian imports from Thailand were valued at nearly US$2.67 billion according to Chinese customs data, representing a 75 per cent share of all inbound shipments of the fruit – a marked improvement from the 42.5 per cent registered in the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3275195/chinas-summer-durian-market-heats-thailand-vietnam-vie-top-spot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3275195/chinas-summer-durian-market-heats-thailand-vietnam-vie-top-spot?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Aug 2024 21:00:15 +0000 China suspended imports of Vietnamese durians from 33 sources this month, in a move suggesting some growers may have cut corners to quickly enter its vast, competitive market – and providing an opening for a slew of eager competitors to step in. The General Administration of Customs told officials in Vietnam in a letter on June 11 that it would stop shipments from 18 durian plantations and 15 packers over excessive amounts of “heavy metals” in the fruits. China had initially deemed 33... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3268128/china-has-cut-some-vietnamese-durian-imports-gold-rush-tarnishing-quality?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3268128/china-has-cut-some-vietnamese-durian-imports-gold-rush-tarnishing-quality?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Jun 2024 20:30:07 +0000 Durian prices in China – the world’s top market for the spiky, pungent fruit typically regarded as a luxury item – have fallen this month as Vietnam gains on Thailand in a heated export rivalry and consumers mind their budgets. The online shopping platform Pupu placed the price of a 6kg (13lbs) durian at 179 yuan (US$25) to 209 yuan about a week ago – a drop from a recent price of 279 yuan – and some vendors have cited a low of 10 yuan for half a kilogram. Zhao Yu, a 37-year-old finance... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3263532/chinas-durian-prices-drop-vietnam-steps-make-gaps-thai-supply?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3263532/chinas-durian-prices-drop-vietnam-steps-make-gaps-thai-supply?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 May 2024 21:00:21 +0000 China expects to quadruple home-grown durian output this year as demand for the pungent fruit has shown no signs of abating, while its two top suppliers - Thailand and Vietnam - are aiming to consolidate their market dominance and tap further into the burgeoning industrial chain. Domestically grown durians were introduced last year from the tropical island of Hainan- the only Chinese province with a climate to nurture the tropical fruit – but typhoons have kept output to 50 tonnes (110,000... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3260034/chinas-durian-output-quadruple-2024-processing-poised-permeate-demand-rapid-rise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3260034/chinas-durian-output-quadruple-2024-processing-poised-permeate-demand-rapid-rise?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Apr 2024 00:00:16 +0000 Vietnam’s durian exports to China this year are expected to expand in value by two-thirds over 2023 following permission from Beijing to let more of the Southeast Asian country’s pungent, lucrative fruit reach a still-unsaturated market. China has approved taking durian shipments from 27 more tracts of land in Binh Phuoc, an inland province north of Ho Chi Minh City, after the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetables Association trade group had estimated that the value of all durian exports from Vietnam... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3255976/china-allows-more-durian-vietnam-surging-trade-underpins-new-codependency-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3255976/china-allows-more-durian-vietnam-surging-trade-underpins-new-codependency-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Mar 2024 03:00:34 +0000 Competition between exporters is expected to intensify in China, the world’s largest durian market, as the global crop has been projected to grow as much as 10 per cent by 2030 and voracious consumers are on the hunt for greater variety and better bargains. The Philippines and Malaysia are getting ready to take on Thailand, the dominant exporter at present, over the next five years as all attempt to take the top spot as sellers of the pungent, spiky fruits in China. The global durian market is... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3252930/who-will-be-chinas-durian-king-when-market-expands-do-philippines-malaysia-have-shot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3252930/who-will-be-chinas-durian-king-when-market-expands-do-philippines-malaysia-have-shot?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Feb 2024 21:00:27 +0000 China and Malaysia are close to signing an agreement to let the Southeast Asian country ship fresh durians to the lucrative Chinese market while the two sides talk of extending a visa-free travel arrangement later this year, according to an official from Kuala Lumpur. The two governments are “just sorting out a few details” on a deal to let Malaysia ship fresh durians to China, following the leads of its exporting neighbours Thailand and Vietnam, said Muzambli Markam, the Malaysian consul... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3249953/china-malaysia-nearing-new-durian-deal-and-extension-visa-free-travel-table?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3249953/china-malaysia-nearing-new-durian-deal-and-extension-visa-free-travel-table?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Jan 2024 04:00:15 +0000 China’s imports of durians soared last year, but its main supplier, Thailand, has been losing market share as the world’s chief buyer of the pungent tropical fruit lets in exports from Vietnam and the Philippines. China imported 1.4 million tonnes of durian in 2023, up 69 per cent from the previous year according to data from China’s General Administration of Customs. Thailand’s share of those imports, in US dollar terms, dropped from almost 100 per cent in 2021 to 95.36 per cent a year later... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3249116/chinas-durian-market-ripens-thailand-loses-ground-vietnam-and-philippines-get-taste?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3249116/chinas-durian-market-ripens-thailand-loses-ground-vietnam-and-philippines-get-taste?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Jan 2024 06:00:21 +0000 The Philippines is on a mission to expand its exports to the world’s largest market for durian consumption, and it hammered that point home on Monday by hyping up a deal it made at China’s largest import expo. The push to boost exports of its tropical fruit – including the Puyat variety of its durian – comes as the Philippines has seen an escalation in its territorial dispute with China over the South China Sea in recent months. One of the Philippines’ durian distributors in China, the Dole... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3240540/chinas-durian-demand-sees-philippines-score-ciie-trade-deal-despite-heated-south-china-sea-dispute?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3240540/chinas-durian-demand-sees-philippines-score-ciie-trade-deal-despite-heated-south-china-sea-dispute?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Nov 2023 20:00:26 +0000 Chinese and Malaysian officials are in talks about opening the former country’s enormous market to exports of the latter’s fresh durians, as appetites grow for the famously pungent tropical fruits. Chan Foong Hin, Malaysia’s deputy minister of agriculture and food security, said via Facebook on Monday that his department met a Chinese customs delegation in Malaysia on October 5 and signed a six-point statement covering durians. “The Chinese side agrees to speed up its risk assessment of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3237575/china-looks-malaysia-satisfy-national-durian-craving-import-talks-accelerate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3237575/china-looks-malaysia-satisfy-national-durian-craving-import-talks-accelerate?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Oct 2023 00:00:21 +0000