China Plants More Durian Trees, Cuts Vietnam Imports

Vietnamese dragon fruit and durian are at risk of having a glut, with prices plummeting, as China, its main export market, intensifies production of the fruits, with its dragon fruit output reaching 1.6 million tons a year, which is 200,000 tons higher than Vietnam’s output, Thi Ha reported of VnExpress.

Photo Insert: Durian imports are likely to fall drastically as Chinese farmers have grown durian trees in China’s southern regions.

Chinese customs statistics showed that the demand for dragon fruit is only 2 million tons a year.

For durian, China imported more than 800,000 tons of the fruit worth $4 billion last year. Durian imports are likely to fall drastically as Chinese farmers have grown durian trees in China’s southern regions.

The Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences in Hainan reported that China’s southern provinces have planted 2,000 hectares to durian and these are expected to produce between 45,000 tons and 75,000 tons in 2024. Durian cultivation will also be expanded to the North, according to the academy.

About 90% of Vietnam’s major agricultural products are exported to China.

The challenge to Vietnam is to produce better quality durian and dragon fruit during the March-September off-season in China.

This means changing the planting cycle and prodding durian and dragon fruit to produce heavily from March to September, which is not easy. In China, prolonged cold winters make it difficult for durian trees to bear fruit.

"The Chinese acreage of banana, mango and dragon fruit is increasing sharply, but China still has to import large quantities of fruits when they are not in season," Vietnamese fruit experts said.

Vietnam’s total fruit and vegetable exports in the first two months of this year increased by 17.8% year-on-year to $592 million. China accounted for 57.5% of all Vietnamese fruit exports, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

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