BEIJING, July 24 — China’s imports of durians rose 47 per cent year on year in the first half of 2026, with Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia recording strong growth, according to official customs figures.
The increase comes as South-east Asian producers move to offload surplus fruit following a bumper harvest that has driven prices lower, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported yesterday.
“Demand from China remains strong in the long term, but it has not expanded at the same pace as production, resulting in downward pressure on prices during the peak season,” said Lim Chin Khee, adviser to the Durian Academy in Malaysia told SCMP.
Lim noted that wholesale prices in China had eased, attributing the decline to increased supply from several origins, higher stock levels and more cautious consumer spending.
Chinese customs data showed Thailand accounted for the largest share, exporting US$3.79 billion worth of durians in the first six months of 2026, representing 81 per cent of the market. Vietnam was second with US$846 million, or 18 per cent, while Malaysia shipped US$30.26 million, up 342 per cent compared with the same period last year.
Overall import volume reached 1.07 million tonnes, up from 708,000 tonnes in the first half of 2025.
According to SCMP, industry analysts say Thailand’s dominance reflects established logistics and quality control systems, while Vietnam — approved to export fresh durians to China in 2022 — has faced occasional quality issues despite rapid growth. Malaysia, a newer entrant, has seen rising volumes as trees planted six to 10 years ago reach maturity.
Agricultural officials in Kuala Lumpur have asked China’s General Administration of Customs (GAC) to open a land based shipping route to shorten delivery times, according to a Bernama report. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also pledged to raise concerns over falling prices with Chinese Premier Li Qiang during his visit to Beijing in August.
GAC deputy director Wang Jun was reported as saying that expanding import channels had boosted consumer choice.
“Sources of imported durians have continued to expand. The fruit is now widely available at neighbourhood fruit shops, offering consumers more choices at more affordable prices,” Wang said.