Thailand can face tougher competition in exporting durians to China’s market over the next five years as China imports more durians from other countries, especially from Vietnam, according to the Bank of Thailand (BoT) report.
The BoT analyzed the situation of Thai durian fruit market. Thailand has been the world’s top durian exporter over the past 10 years, particularly to the major market in China with the significant growth over the past five years.
In 2022, Thailand’s total value of durian exports was 124 billion baht. It assessed that in the next five years, China’s durian consumption is projected to increase by one kg per person per year, which will increase China’s durian demand by one million tons.
However, Chinese consumers who mainly bought “Monthong” durian variety from Thailand started to buy fresh durians from Vietnam, the Philippines recently granted permission to export durians to China.
Durian exports are likely to become highly competitive. Thailand’s durian plantation areas have expanded by 8% each year. Rival countries also expand durian plantations to produce more durians for exports but their durian supply will not increase significantly in three years, so the situation is not worrying.
However, in the next 5 years, it is likely to become tougher competition when rival countries can increase their production and export more durians to China. It may lead to oversupply in the Chinese market, which could put pressure on Thai durian exports and durian prices.
The report said Thailand should seek new export markets particularly China’s second-tier cities and other countries, maintain durian quality and prevent selling unripe durians at the beginning of the harvest season. It should adopt technology to improve productivity and develop a logistics system, which will help Thailand remain its status as the world’s leading durian exporter. (TNA)
