Thai durian enjoys fast-rising popularity in China

Durians from Thailand, the world's largest exporter of fresh durians, have become one of the most popular Southeast Asian fruits in China.

Chinese consumers buy durians at a Thai fruit-themed activity held in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Huang Yanmei)

A Thai fruit-themed event that kicked off on May 11 in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, has drawn wide attention online and offline.

"My favorite type of durian is Puangmanee durian. It has a rich aroma and sweet, creamy flesh. I just can't stop eating it," said Huang Xin, a durian enthusiast, at the event, which was jointly hosted by organizations including the commercial office of the Thai Consulate-General in Nanning.

"We plan to purchase 6,600 tonnes of Chanee durians from Thailand this year, which represents an increase of 32 percent compared to 2022," said Wang Yao, deputy general manager of the international purchasing division of Shenzhen Pagoda Industrial (Group) Corporation Limited (Pagoda for short), a pioneer of fruit chain stores in China.

People buy durians in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Huang Yanmei)

Pagoda has been cooperating with partners in Thailand since 2004, according to Wang, who said that Thai fruits have become an important part of the company's fruits, among which durian is the most popular one.

"Besides Chanee durians, we also plan to purchase about 63,000 tonnes of other fruits of Thailand, such as coconuts, grapefruits, mangosteens, longans, and mangoes, so that more Chinese consumers will enjoy Thai fruits," Wang added.

Thanks to the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement and the efficient and convenient transportation services between China and ASEAN countries, tropical fruits from Southeast Asia have appeared on markets across China at affordable prices and enjoyed continuous strong consumer demand in the country.

The increasingly smooth and diverse logistics services have also enabled more modes of transportation for fruits. In addition to highways and railways, Southeast Asian fruits can also be transported to China by sea and air. Companies can also choose customized multimodal transportation services based on their needs.

Vehicles are fully loaded with fruits from ASEAN countries at Youyi Port in Pingxiang city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Huang Yanmei)

In Pingxiang city in Guangxi, the largest port city on the China-Vietnam border, there is a steady stream of traffic of cross-border vehicles loaded with Southeast Asian fruits, including durian, pitaya, and jackfruit, and more than 3,000 tonnes of durians are imported through the Youyi Port in the city every day.

Youyi Port has become China's largest port for durian imports. Statistics released by the Youyi Port Customs showed that the amount of durians imported through the port increased by 633.6 percent year on year to 61,000 tonnes in the first quarter of 2023, accounting for 66.3 percent of the total amount of durians imported by China.

Chinese customs officials examine imported durians. (Photo/Huang Yanmei)

To ensure fast customs clearance for durians, Youyi Port has built dedicated customs clearance channels and provided dedicated parking spaces for durian imports. It also gives priority to customs declarations and inspections of durian imports to ensure fresh durians are cleared by the customs and transported quickly to markets across China.

"It takes only one day and three days, respectively, for durians to be taken from their producing areas in Vietnam and eastern Thailand to Youyi Port. And the fruit can be transported to cities like Gaobeidian city in Hebei Province in about 40 hours, and to Guangzhou city in around 12 hours," said Lu Xiaoyu, general manager of a Pingxiang city-based logistics company.