In the first two months of this year, Vietnam surpassed Thailand as the largest exporter of durians to China, shipping nearly 33,000 metric tons valued at $161 million. This represents a significant growth for Vietnam, with a 2.4-fold increase in both volume and value compared to previous periods, accounting for 57 percent of China’s total durian market share. In contrast, Thailand's durian exports to China saw a sharp decline, with just over 19,000 metric tons worth $120 million, marking decreases of 50.3 percent in volume and 45.2 percent in value year-on-year.
Vietnam’s burgeoning durian trade with China benefits from the country’s ability to supply large volumes of durians throughout the year and its geographical proximity to China, which reduces transportation costs and times, making Vietnamese durians more competitively priced. Despite this advantage, Vietnam's durians have a lower average export price at $4,900 per metric ton compared to Thailand’s $6,133 per metric ton, highlighting a difference in market pricing dynamics between the two exporting countries.
The increase in Vietnam’s durian exports is supported by its expanding durian cultivation, which has seen a doubling in both farm area and output since 2019, reaching about 110,000 hectares with an annual production of 900,000 metric tons. This agricultural expansion has positioned Vietnam as a major player in the durian export market, particularly to China, where it shipped durians worth over $2.1 billion in 2023. This growth in the durian export market illustrates Vietnam's rising prominence and strategic advantage in the international fruit trade, particularly in the lucrative Chinese market.