China's Rising Durian Demand, Growing Import Trends and Consumer Behavior

JD Research Institue for Consumption and Industrial Development, in collaboration with Jingdong Supermarket, conducted an analysis of durian consumer behavior and trade trends in China. The study reveals a significant increase in Chinese durian imports, rising from 224.4 thousand tons in 2017 to 825 thousand tons in 2022, nearly quadrupling within five years. Jingdong Supermarket's data indicates a 3.4 times increase in total sales of imported durians through online channels from Jan-23 to Aug-23 compared to the same period in 2019. Surprisingly, durian purchases in rural areas, particularly among teenagers, surpassed those in urban areas. Online durian purchases by young consumers in rural regions constitute 24% of all durian sales in China, with the majority being individuals born in the 1990s. Approximately 30% of this demographic comprises females born in the 90s.