The durian industry needs to shift its focus from expanding cultivation areas to enhancing quality, traceability, and market outlet stability.

After weeks of stagnation, the durian market in the Mekong Delta is gradually rebounding as procurement prices have risen by 5,000–10,000 VND/kg compared to about half a month ago. This development has helped ease pressure on many farmers following a period of plunging prices caused by testing and export bottlenecks.

Positive signals

In Dong Thap, Mr. Vo Tan Loi, Chairman of the Provincial Durian Association, stated that the price of grade A Ri6 currently fluctuates between 50,000 and 55,000 VND/kg, while Monthong maintains its price around 80,000 VND/kg. According to him, at price levels above 40,000 VND/kg, many farmers have begun turning a decent profit.

The reason, according to Mr. Loi, is that following directives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to resolve bottlenecks, testing capacities for Auramine O and cadmium have improved significantly. Many enterprises can now export dozens of durian containers daily to China, instead of operating at a moderate pace as before. Previously, a lack of testing capacity caused many export shipments to China to face delayed customs clearance, leading to a pile-up in domestic supply and driving prices down sharply.

Mr. Huynh Thanh Phong, a durian trader in Can Tho City, noted that the Ri6 variety ripens quickly, so when cargo trucks face prolonged congestion, it easily leads to fruit cracking and degraded quality. Now that the testing process has stabilized and export enterprises are operating smoothly, the market has rebounded rapidly.

However, to ensure the stable development of the commodity, Mr. Tran Chi Hung, Vice Chairman of the Can Tho Provincial People's Committee, has requested the local agricultural sector to review the scale of concentrated growing areas, while strengthening the management of packaging facilities and testing activities to meet importing market demands. Additionally, testing facilities have been urged to upgrade staff capacity and equipment to prevent a recurrence of congestion. The local government also emphasized strict handling of units that cause delays or fail to fully execute testing procedures under regulations.

Alongside the significantly improved testing activities, the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development stated that durian export performance in the first months of 2026 also recorded many positive signals. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, Vietnam's durian export turnover reached approximately 221.7 million USD, a sharp increase over the same period last year. Within this figure, fresh durian reached about 68,500 tons and frozen durian approached 11,600 tons, increasing strongly compared to the same period in 2025.

Notably, beyond traditional markets, Vietnamese durian is increasing its presence in many demanding markets: exports to the US rose by over 107%, South Korea surged by nearly 262%, Australia grew by over 40%, and Japan increased by nearly 12% compared to the same period in 2025.

According to evaluations by specialized agencies, expanding the export of frozen durian helps the industry reduce its dependence on seasonal harvests, prolong preservation periods, and broaden access to demanding markets. This is also viewed as a vital transition for Vietnamese durian to participate more deeply in global processing and distribution chains, instead of relying solely on fresh exports as before.

Shifting focus to quality

Mr. Nguyen Quang Hieu, Deputy Director of the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, argued that the durian industry needs to shift its focus from expanding cultivation areas to enhancing quality, traceability, and market outlet stability. According to him, in the context of a continuously changing export market, especially in 2026, this industry must proactively develop multiple response scenarios and closely track the requirements of each importing nation to adjust production accordingly, minimizing risks and steering toward sustainable development.

Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Bình, Chairman of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetables Association (Vinafruit), expects durian to remain the flagship commodity contributing to the fruit and vegetable sector's 10 billion USD export target this year. However, to maintain growth momentum, enterprises and growers must pay special attention to quality standards, which importing markets—especially China—are tightening.

Mr. Binh informed that the Chinese side is currently stepping up controls over pesticide residues, heavy metals like cadmium, as well as prohibited colorants, sweeteners, and additives. Therefore, Vietnam's durian industry needs to tightly control cultivation processes and thoroughly eliminate chemical residues to satisfy partner regulations accurately.

In addition, traceability has become a mandatory requirement for export goods. Enterprises, regulatory bodies, and producers need to coordinate to ensure product information is transparent and verifiable quickly. This is regarded as a vital factor helping Vietnamese durian maintain prestige and expand its market share on the international stage.

Mr. Do Ngoc Chat, Director of Viet A Agrifood Co., Ltd. (Ho Chi Minh City), stated that China remains the most critical market for Vietnamese durian, accounting for the majority of export volume. Asian consumers, particularly Chinese customers, have an immense demand for this fruit. Conversely, the European market is very difficult to access because native consumers are not accustomed to the unique flavor and characteristic odor of durian; some places even ban the sale of fresh durian due to its scent. Therefore, unlocking this market requires a long time for them to get used to it, and volumes are unlikely to be high.

For the Indian market, some enterprises have begun receiving proposals for import cooperation. However, the long transit distance presents a major challenge. Shipping by sea can take more than 10 days, while air freight costs are much higher. "The more feasible option at present is exporting frozen durian, even though its value is not as high as fresh goods," he said.

Also according to Mr. Chat, in the current stage, Vietnam should still prioritize resolving difficulties in the Chinese market, such as enhancing quality testing, controlling growing area codes, or accelerating customs clearance procedures. This is because China remains a nearby market, convenient for road transport, and still possesses immense potential for exploitation.

Sharing the same perspective, Mr. Nguyen Van Muoi, Deputy Secretary-General of Vinafruit, acknowledged that although Vietnam is making efforts to diversify its markets into South Korea, the US, Europe, and India, China still accounts for over 90% of our total durian export volume. In Western countries, customers are still predominantly of Asian origin, so the growth space can hardly explode like the Chinese market.

In the context of continuously rising output, Mr. Muoi argued that the durian industry needs policies to attract investment into processing—ranging from deep-freezing to diversifying other products—instead of relying primarily on fresh exports. To achieve this, enterprises need support regarding land and capital to consume durian for farmers. In addition, durian quality must be elevated through training and technical guidance to meet market standards, aiming to limit risks related to trade and market barriers.

Increasingly fierce competition

According to Mr. Do Ngoc Chat, the durian industry has entered a phase of fiercer competition, and prices cannot remain high forever due to rising global output and a customer base that is over 90% concentrated in China. This country is also diversifying its suppliers, importing not only from Vietnam or Thailand but also from Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Myanmar.

Even durian growing areas are no longer confined to Southeast Asian nations but have expanded to regions in South America and Sri Lanka due to high economic efficiency, particularly for export.

Source: Bao Nguoi Lao Dong