HO CHI MINH CITY: Vietnam’s durian industry must shift its focus from competing on volume and price to competing on quality, standards and branding if it is to sustain its rapid export growth, industry leaders say.
Aimed at strengthening supply chain cooperation with China, the second Asia Durian Conference and Vietnam–China Durian Supply and Demand Matching event brought together around 500 participants, including government officials, agricultural experts and businesses, to discuss ways to strengthen cross-border cooperation in one of Vietnam’s fastest-growing agricultural export sectors.
Speaking at the conference, Tran Ngoc Liem, director of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Ho Chi Minh City branch, said durian had emerged as one of the biggest success stories of agriculture in recent years.
According to the Vietnam Customs Department, the country exported US$562.4mil worth of durian in the first five months of 2026, up 45.2% year-on-year.
Fresh durian accounted for US$483.1mil, while frozen durian exports surged 60.3% to US$77.9mil. Processed durian exports reached US$1.4mil, up 16.7%.
China remained by far Vietnam’s largest export market, importing US$492mil worth of durian during the period, up 76.7% from a year earlier and accounting for 87.5% of total exports.
Shipments to other markets, including the United States, South Korea, Japan, Australia and Papua New Guinea, also recorded strong growth, highlighting opportunities for market growth.
Despite the industry’s rapid expansion, Liem warned that challenges remained, including oversupply caused by the rapid expansion of cultivation areas and the limited proportion of fruit meeting export standards.
These shortcomings contributed to customs delays, higher inspection costs and greater compliance risks.
Competition was also intensifying as Thailand maintained its strong market position while Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia expanded their presence in China. — Viet Nam News/ANN
