In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s durian exports generated nearly USD 2 billion, with the Chinese market accounting for the lion's share. Meanwhile, Thailand is proposing to establish an industry fund and levy a charge of up to USD 0.06 per kilo on exported durian.

Speaking with VietNamNet, Nguyen Van Tao, a durian farmer in Lam Dong, shared that durian prices are trending upward, helping growers preserve steady profitability. He noted that for orchards yielding a high proportion of export-grade fruit (weighing 2.5–3 kg per piece), orchard-run bulk procurement prices have reached up to VND 60,000/kg.

Tao’s family locked in their bulk orchard-run sale with traders over a month ago at VND 50,000/kg. His grove has now entered the final harvesting days of the season.

“Even though this price point is not as high as previous peaks, our family still pocketed a net profit of around VND 1.5 billion after deducting production costs,” Tao revealed.

Traders are currently accelerating durian procurement to meet festive consumption demand surrounding the Mid-Autumn Festival and China’s National Day (October 1).

Consequently, bulk procurement prices for export-standard groves have been bid up, as market supplies begin to dwindle.

Statistics from the Customs Department show that in August 2026, Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports to the Chinese market touched USD 1.06 billion, up 36.9% compared to July 2026 and surging 56.7% year-on-year. Durian proved to be a dominant contributor, as the Central Highlands entered its peak harvest period.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment estimates that over the first eight months of 2026, durian exports reached USD 1.97 billion, up 28.3% compared to the same period last year. Of this total, shipments to China accounted for USD 1.85 billion, up 29.9%.

The Agency of Foreign Trade (Ministry of Industry and Trade) anticipates that Vietnam’s produce exports to China will maintain strong growth throughout the remaining months of 2026. This optimism is supported by Vietnam’s counter-seasonal supply advantage in fresh durian during this period, which can help sustain monthly produce export turnover above the USD 1 billion benchmark.

Amid the continued rapid ascent of Vietnamese durian shipments to China’s billion-consumer market, Thailand is proposing to establish a dedicated fund and levy a fee of up to USD 0.06/kg on outbound durian shipments.

Specifically, on September 7, Thailand convened its latest public hearing on the draft Durian Act. The legislative bill has been under deliberation for over two years with input from farmers, traders, and exporters.

At the hearing, stakeholders raised various proposals and objections, focusing heavily on plans to establish a durian fund financed by a levy on exported fruit. Parties voiced deep concerns over the harvesting and commercialization of immature, unripened durians, which risks compromising the overall quality and reputation of Thai durians in overseas markets.

The proposal to establish a durian fund and assess fees on exports has met with pushback from the Thai Durian Association and the Thai Fruit Traders and Exporters Association. The draft stipulates an initial levy ranging from 0.50 to 1 baht/kg, which could rise to a ceiling of 2 baht/kg (approximately USD 0.06/kg).

Calculations show that a standard export container carries roughly 18 metric tons of durian. At a levy of 1 baht/kg, the additional cost would come to roughly 18,000 baht per container, equivalent to around USD 540.

Industry associations argue that these added costs would ultimately be passed back to farmers through discounted farm-gate procurement prices. Rather than imposing levies, they maintain that the legislation should focus on raising quality standards, addressing structural bottlenecks, and sharpening competitive advantages, instead of loading extra cost burdens onto growers and enterprises.

Currently, export competition in the Chinese market is growing increasingly fierce, with Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Cambodia all cleared for official direct exports of durians into the country.

Accordingly, supplier nations are standardizing cultivation protocols to elevate durian quality. Among them, Thailand and Malaysia are actively expanding frozen durian lines. Malaysia holds strong advantages in premium specialty cultivars, while Cambodia continues to broaden its cultivation acreage.

Source: Bao VietNamNet