Durian shipments from South-East Asia hit peak season as China-Laos Railway drives tropical fruit boom
April 16, 2026 | The Star |
The China-Laos Railway is playing a key role in transporting Southeast Asian tropical fruits, especially durians, to China quickly and efficiently. During peak harvest season, durians from countries like Thailand, Laos, and Malaysia are shipped via the Lancang-Mekong Express, reaching Kunming in about 26 hours and other major Chinese cities within 48 hours.
To meet rising demand, freight train frequency has increased, and cold-chain logistics have been strengthened with thousands of refrigerated containers and fast customs clearance. A “green channel” system ensures rapid unloading and distribution, minimizing spoilage.
Thailand alone is exporting around 1,500 containers of durians daily, with volumes expected to peak soon. Overall, the railway is expected to transport over 200,000 tonnes of tropical fruits in 2026, highlighting its importance in regional agricultural trade.
Read more
Viewed Articles
April 16, 2026 | The Star | The China-Laos Railway is playing a key role in transporting Southeast Asian tropical fruits, especially durians, to China quickly and efficiently. During peak harvest seas
Read More
February 18, 2025 | Bangkok Post | Thailand is strengthening food safety measures to maintain its dominance in China's durian market, where it holds a 57% market share. Minister of Agriculture Nar
January 13, 2025 | Produce Report | China’s first durian processing plant, owned by Hainan Youqi Agricultural Company, is nearing completion in Sanya, Hainan. Spanning 4 hectares in the Yucai Modern A
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
October 03, 2026 | The Star | China is making progress in domestic durian cultivation as experimental orchards in Yunnan Province begin producing tree-ripened fruit after several years of trials. This
December 23, 2025 | The Conversation | China’s once-derided durian has become a cultural favorite and economic powerhouse, with the country now accounting for about 95% of global durian demand and imp
