Record-breaking heatwave and drought... Direct hit to Thailand Durian

Quality Decline and Soaring Costs
Increase in Vietnam Market Share

Recently, Thailand has suffered significant damage to its durian cultivation due to record-breaking heatwaves persisting in Southeast Asia.

Tropical fruit Durian.

According to major foreign media on the 5th, Thai durian farmers are facing decreased marketability due to heatwaves and droughts, while cultivation costs are soaring.

In the main producing area, Chanthaburi province in central Thailand, heatwaves around 40 degrees Celsius and drought have continued, causing this year's harvest season to arrive earlier than usual. The durian season typically spans from March to June, but this year the fruit ripened too quickly, resulting in top-quality durians lacking in taste and size.

Durian is a key export agricultural product in Thailand. In 2021, exports reached a scale of 6.9 trillion won, making it the top item. About 95% of durian exports are destined for China, but as quality declines, Vietnam's market share is rapidly increasing.

Last year, among China's 1.42 million tons of fresh durian imports, 65.2% were from Thailand and 34.6% from Vietnam. However, in the first quarter of this year, Vietnamese durians reportedly surpassed Thai durians.