In W24 in the durian landscape, Thailand exported 480 thousand tons of durians to China in the first five months of 2023. It is likely that Thailand will exceed the export target of USD 2.8 billion. There’s a report that a shipment of 150 thousand Thai durians reached Chongqing, China, using the first direct cold-chain train route through the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. The durians were initially transported to Laos and then loaded onto a train that traveled to China via the China-Laos Railway. Further, the average selling price of Thai fresh durian in May 2023 showed a significant increase of approximately 15.58% compared to May 2022. Export-grade Thai durian prices have increased compared to 2022, as exporters are experiencing sustained demand for the fruit. In May 2023, the price increased to around USD 7.19/kg (RMB 51.37/kg) due to the rising cost of fertilizers, resulting from the side effects of the Russia-Ukraine war. Since the majority of raw materials for fertilizers were imported from these two countries, the conflict led to higher fertilizer prices, which impacted the overall cost of Thai fresh durian. China's durian market experienced unprecedented popularity, particularly during the peak export season for Thai durians in April 2023. China imported 221 thousand mt of fresh durians worth USD 1.05 billion, setting new monthly records. The import value of durians doubled the previous peak, but the prices remained relatively high. Durians from Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines were imported, with Thailand's 206 thousand mt and Vietnamese 14 thousand mt. The high demand for durians on online platforms led to significant growth in sales volumes from April 1 to mid-May 2023.
In Vietnam, Dong Nai province has set a target to export 20 thousand tons of durian from 11 different growing regions in 2023 and also, Dong Nai exported 360 tons of durian to China through official channels. The volume of Vietnamese durian has increased in the Chinese market since September 2022, with an export value of USD 190.5 million. The Huu Nghi International Border Gate in Lang Son province handles customs clearance for over 1.6 thousand shipments, resulting in over 17.5 thousand tons exported in May 2023. Vietnamese durians are positively imported, with 95% coming through the Huu Nghi Quan border gate. Dong Hung border gate may surpass Thailand due to domestic demand. Rail and sea imports are modest. Meanwhile, Malaysian Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohd Sabu has proposed that the issue of black seeds in Musang King durians is due to the El Niño phenomenon. Although no research has confirmed the direct impact on durian quality, recent harvests have shown the presence of black seeds, leading some industry experts to believe it could be associated with climate change.
