Thailand's durian output in 2026 is expected to be about 1.78 million tons. Under normal climate conditions, this year's durian production is expected to increase by about 10% compared to last year.
According to a China News Service report, Witiya Kong, Director-General of the Department of Internal Trade at the Ministry of Commerce, pointed out on the 2nd that although durian production is expected to increase, exports still face multiple limiting factors. Among them, labor shortages are particularly prominent.
He stated that there is currently a lack of workers in the durian industry, and the number of laborers with relevant experience is continuing to decrease. Although some foreign workers have entered related posts, a certain training period is still needed, and in the short term it is difficult to fully fill the gap.
According to estimates from the Department of Internal Trade, the peak supply of durian in eastern Thailand will be concentrated from March to June, while the supply period for the southern and other regions is expected from June to August. In June this year, durian supplies from the eastern and southern regions may overlap. Witiya Kong said that during the phase of overlapping supply, durian distribution centers, which serve as intermediary hubs, may face insufficient transport capacity, which could affect the market absorption of durians from the southern region.