April 22, 2025 | vnExpress |
China’s domestic durian industry, centered in Hainan province, is growing rapidly but still lags far behind Southeast Asian suppliers in scale and competitiveness. Hainan Youqi Agricultural Company, China’s largest durian grower, currently manages over 200,000 trees and produced 260 tons of durians in 2023, with projections of 500–600 tons for 2024. Despite increasing yields and strong investor interest—spurred by favorable climate and land availability in Hainan, Yunnan, and Guangxi—local production remains minimal compared to China’s 2024 import volume of 1.56 million tons.
Chinese durians are also significantly more expensive due to limited experience, high labor costs, and weather vulnerabilities like typhoons. Domestic Monthong durians were priced double that of Thai imports in 2023. Experts like Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences director Feng Xuejie and Youqi’s general manager Du Baizhong agree that China should focus on cultivating high-quality, premium durians rather than attempting to replace imports.
While efforts are underway to develop cold-resistant varieties and expand inland to places like Xishuangbanna in Yunnan, these are long-term goals. For now, China’s durian demand—valued at nearly US $7 billion—is still heavily reliant on imports, primarily from Thailand and Vietnam, with local cultivation playing a minor but evolving role.
