Many of Thailand’s durian farmers and exporters have become millionaires by capitalizing on the opportunities presented by China’s demand for the fruit.
Apichet Chitfour left his job as a factory technician 29 years ago to invest in a durian business. He now manage one of Thailand’s largest durian packaging firms, Rachadurian Company. Apichet mentioned to the Thai newspaper The Nation that his company exported over USD 2.7 million worth of durians in one year during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As Chinese demand for durians rises, Thailand has become the leading supplier. In the first four months of 2024, China imported 202,500 tons of fresh durians, 60% of which came from Thailand, according to customs data. Thailand has significantly increased its durian production over the past decade. The durian output rose by 180% in the last 12 years to 1.4 million tons in 2023, while the area under cultivation expanded by 80%, as reported by Thai news outlet Khaosod English.
Thailand’s durian exports to China surged to USD 3.75 billion in 2023, a significant increase from USD 128 million in 2012, according to United Nations Comtrade data. As of July 2024, Thailand has exported up to USD 2.4 billion worth of durians to China, an increase of 3-4% year-on-year. Thai exporters are optimistic that this figure will continue to grow over the next five years as durians reach secondary Chinese cities and more consumers develop a taste for the fruit.
(Source: VnExpress)
