Rise of Hainan durians a wake-up call for Thai growers and exporters

Thai durian exporters to China have been warned not to be complacent as China has started cultivating “Hainan durians”, priced at 300 baht (S$11) for 0.5kg, with significant growth potential.

The Thailand Office of Trade Promotion in Xiamen, China, said that China was able to produce Hainan durians, which are considered a major success for the Chinese durian industry. Thai exporters should seek ways to improve the quality and freshness of Thai durians to maintain their high standing in both the Chinese and global markets, the office advised.

According to a report from China News Service, China has been growing durians extensively in areas like Sanya and Yucai, both in Hainan. The durians have been growing well, reaching the size of volleyballs. The first batch from Hainan is expected to hit the market by late June. In 2024, approximately 500 trees have started yielding the fruit, the report said.

Hainan durians have reportedly been under cultivation for four years, and 2024 marks the first season of yields. A four-year-old durian tree can produce up to 19 fruits, each weighing around 2kg.

The harvesting season for Hainan durians spans June to August, with peak harvest expected in July. 

According to estimates, durians will be cultivated in Hainan on more than 6,600ha of land within the next three to five years. But there are challenges such as limited production capacity and unpredictable weather, including typhoons. The durian tree’s fragile stems make it difficult to withstand strong winds.

Even though durians have been successfully cultivated in Hainan province, the terrain there is still not ideal for the fruit.

Typically, durians come from large, perennial fruit trees that thrive in temperatures between 25 deg C and 30 deg C, making them best suited for a tropical climate, like those found in the Asean region.

As at May, Hainan durians have started entering the Chinese market about a month earlier than expected, with a selling price of about 60 yuan (S$11) per 0.5kg. Due to limited cultivation areas in China, the supply remains low, keeping prices high.

“When China is able to produce Hainan durians, it would mark another achievement for the Chinese durian industry. However, it would not significantly impact the import of Thai durians due to limited production. Nevertheless, Thailand cannot afford to be complacent as the Thai durian market may face competition from the emerging Hainan durians, which are gaining recognition,” the office said.

But based on taste, this seems to be of less concern. The Hainan durians reportedly taste quite mild. They almost lack any creaminess in terms of texture. The flesh of the durian sometimes evokes more of a sensation of unripe bananas, and other tasters were similarly unimpressed.

One of the harsh criticisms is there is “almost no flavour at all”, with the consensus among tasters being that they are “dry, hard and bland”.

But the office has suggested that Thailand should continue to develop high-quality, fresh durians to maintain its dominance in the Chinese and global markets.

Although Hainan durians are becoming an alternative for Chinese consumers, Thai durians can still hold a competitive edge if they maintain their quality and consumer trust in terms of both taste and quality. The opportunity for Thai durian imports to stay in demand in China and worldwide persists, provided that Thai producers continue to adapt and improve according to consumer needs.

According to data from Global Trade Atlas, China currently imports fresh durians from three South-east Asian countries: Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Between January and April, China imported the most fresh durians from Thailand, totalling 121,398 tonnes and valued at US$717 million (S$972 million). That accounts for 65.6 per cent of market share, although this represents a 48.7 per cent decline. Thailand has yielded market share mainly to Vietnam.

Vietnam is the second-largest supplier, with 79,186 tonnes, valued at US$369 million. It holds 33.8 per cent of market share, an increase of 82.9 per cent. The Philippines ranks third, supplying 1,778 tonnes, valued at US$5.8 million, with a market share of 0.5 per cent and a growth rate of US$474.5 million. THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK