A recent report by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) indicated that by the end of September, the country’s durian production had reached 984,800 tons, marking a substantial increase of 16.6% compared to the same period last year.

Harvesting of this “king of fruits” only begins in October in major producing regions such as Gia Lai and Lam Dong. Additionally, off-season durian crops in the Mekong Delta provinces are expected to be harvested in the final months of this year.

It is estimated that Vietnam’s total durian production could exceed 1.2 million tons this year.

Aside from meeting domestic demand, a significant volume of durian is also exported to markets such as China, Thailand, and others.

Preliminary data from the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association reveals that durian export revenue in the past nine months is estimated at $2.5 billion, setting a historic record. Of this, exports to China alone accounted for approximately $2.3 billion.

On the import side, Vietnam spent nearly $9 million on durian imports during the first eight months of 2024. This import value marks a sharp 1,057% increase compared to the same period in the previous year, almost 11.6 times higher.

In the domestic market, Vietnamese durians are widely available, but imported varieties from Thailand and Malaysia, often at premium prices, are also abundant.

For example, Fumoni durians are priced between VND 200,000-340,000 per kilogram, Kanyao durians range from VND 430,000-700,000 per kilogram, Black Thorn durians sell for VND 900,000 to 1 million per kilogram, and Musang King durians are priced at VND 650,000-900,000 per kilogram. Other imported varieties typically cost around VND 400,000-500,000 per kilogram.

Import distributors noted that the price of each type of durian depends on whether it is grade 1 or grade 2. Additionally, air-transported durians are priced higher than those transported by road or sea due to the shorter transit time, ensuring greater freshness.

Tam An