Vietnam Overtakes Thailand in China Durian Volume — SkimNews
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- Vietnam overtook Thailand in fresh durian export volume to China in 2025 (first time), though Thailand still leads by value at ~US$4B of China's US$7.5B total durian imports last year.
- Vietnam's durian exports to China reached US$2.2B in 2023 after gaining official market access in 2022, with the industry now targeting US$4B this year.
- Guangxi border ports handled nearly 895,000 tonnes of Southeast Asian fruit in the first four months of this year, up more than 12% year-on-year, aided by smart port clearance and cold-chain links.
- The Mong Cai-Dongxing border recorded 8+ million crossings last year, while Dongxing logged 18 million domestic tourist visits generating 17 billion yuan (~US$2.5B) in revenue; an estimated 6,000+ Vietnamese cross through Dongxing Port daily.
- Vietnam's durian sector still faces uneven product quality, pesticide residue problems, and weak export certification capacity, per Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association president Nguyen Thanh Binh.
- An informal blind taste test at a Nanning market saw shoppers prefer Thai durians over Vietnamese Gan Yao three out of three tries, signaling that brand loyalty and aroma remain hurdles for Vietnam.
Why it matters: Vietnam's geographic proximity and improving border infrastructure are beginning to erode Thailand's decades-long grip on a US$7.5B Chinese import category, but Vietnam must close quality and certification gaps before converting volume leadership into sustained value share — and consumer preference still runs toward Thai fruit.
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