(Kunming, 22nd) The strong-smelling fresh durian fruit is not allowed into the crowded venues. Southeast Asian merchants are instead vying to promote durian cakes, durian candies, durian pastries, durian ice cream, and other products to Chinese consumers. This is a microcosm of various countries competing for a share of China's durian market.
According to China News Service, the 9th China-South Asia Expo is currently being held in Kunming, Yunnan. The Southeast Asia Pavilion, with a total of 388 booths, brings together exhibitors from Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, and other countries.
On the 21st, China News Service reporters visited the Southeast Asia Pavilion and found that more than half of the exhibitors are in the food business, with nearly half of those selling durian derivative products. Although Chinese have not been eating durian for very long, China is now the world's largest importer and consumer of durians.
In the Thailand section of the Southeast Asia Pavilion, the variety of durian derivatives is the greatest—there are even durian-shaped toys and handbags made of rubber—underscoring Thailand's position as the world's top durian producer. Thai durian entered the Chinese market early on, and has long maintained a 'dominant' position in durian exports to China. But now, a strong contender has emerged—Vietnamese durian.
The largest and most prominent booth in the Southeast Asia Pavilion is occupied by a Vietnamese durian cake sales company. The company's general manager, Ma Hongjun, told reporters that since gaining approval to enter China in 2022, exports of fresh Vietnamese durian to China have grown rapidly. “Vietnamese durians have a shorter distance to China and lower costs, giving us a price advantage.”
According to the website of the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam citing Vietnamese media, in the first 11 months of 2024, China imported a total of 1.53 million tons of durian, with Vietnamese durian accounting for 47%, an increase of more than 30% compared to the same period in 2023.
Following Thailand and Vietnam, Malaysian fresh durian is pursuing the high-end market as it enters China. At the Expo, Malaysia's Fengchao Group CEO, Chen Mingfeng, told reporters that they have a plantation with an annual output of 300 tons of durians. Due to surging demand from the Chinese market, they additionally purchase 700 tons of durians annually from surrounding areas. “Last year, the volume of durians we sold to China grew by 30%.”
Malaysia harvests durians by allowing them to naturally ripen and fall from the tree, resulting in a rich flavour and a higher price. Chen Mingfeng said that high-quality fresh durians are air-shipped to China, with each one selling for about 1,000 yuan, yet market demand remains strong.
At the Southeast Asia Pavilion of the Expo, reporters also witnessed an interesting scene: Lao exhibitors selling Vietnamese durian cakes, with packaging specifically marked “raw material origin: Laos.”
In the near future, Laos may bid farewell to the status of merely being a “raw material origin.” Currently, relevant authorities in China and Laos are negotiating the inclusion of Lao fresh durians on China's import list.
From another perspective, Laos has long enjoyed a slice of the “cake” of Southeast Asian durian exports to China. The China-Laos Railway has become a vital channel for importing Thai and Malaysian durians into China, giving Laos substantial benefits in logistics.
According to China News Service, the 9th China-South Asia Expo is currently being held in Kunming, Yunnan. The Southeast Asia Pavilion, with a total of 388 booths, brings together exhibitors from Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, and other countries.
On the 21st, China News Service reporters visited the Southeast Asia Pavilion and found that more than half of the exhibitors are in the food business, with nearly half of those selling durian derivative products. Although Chinese have not been eating durian for very long, China is now the world's largest importer and consumer of durians.
In the Thailand section of the Southeast Asia Pavilion, the variety of durian derivatives is the greatest—there are even durian-shaped toys and handbags made of rubber—underscoring Thailand's position as the world's top durian producer. Thai durian entered the Chinese market early on, and has long maintained a 'dominant' position in durian exports to China. But now, a strong contender has emerged—Vietnamese durian.
The largest and most prominent booth in the Southeast Asia Pavilion is occupied by a Vietnamese durian cake sales company. The company's general manager, Ma Hongjun, told reporters that since gaining approval to enter China in 2022, exports of fresh Vietnamese durian to China have grown rapidly. “Vietnamese durians have a shorter distance to China and lower costs, giving us a price advantage.”
According to the website of the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam citing Vietnamese media, in the first 11 months of 2024, China imported a total of 1.53 million tons of durian, with Vietnamese durian accounting for 47%, an increase of more than 30% compared to the same period in 2023.
Following Thailand and Vietnam, Malaysian fresh durian is pursuing the high-end market as it enters China. At the Expo, Malaysia's Fengchao Group CEO, Chen Mingfeng, told reporters that they have a plantation with an annual output of 300 tons of durians. Due to surging demand from the Chinese market, they additionally purchase 700 tons of durians annually from surrounding areas. “Last year, the volume of durians we sold to China grew by 30%.”
Malaysia harvests durians by allowing them to naturally ripen and fall from the tree, resulting in a rich flavour and a higher price. Chen Mingfeng said that high-quality fresh durians are air-shipped to China, with each one selling for about 1,000 yuan, yet market demand remains strong.
At the Southeast Asia Pavilion of the Expo, reporters also witnessed an interesting scene: Lao exhibitors selling Vietnamese durian cakes, with packaging specifically marked “raw material origin: Laos.”
In the near future, Laos may bid farewell to the status of merely being a “raw material origin.” Currently, relevant authorities in China and Laos are negotiating the inclusion of Lao fresh durians on China's import list.
From another perspective, Laos has long enjoyed a slice of the “cake” of Southeast Asian durian exports to China. The China-Laos Railway has become a vital channel for importing Thai and Malaysian durians into China, giving Laos substantial benefits in logistics.