Vietnam Aims for Record Durian Exports

Durian exports were nearly $1.1 billion in the first half of 2026, up 32% from last year. This is a big increase.

The busiest time for durian trade is coming. The Central Highlands harvest starts in August and ends in October. Last year, monthly shipments were almost $1 billion.

People in the industry think annual revenue could be over $4 billion, maybe even $4.5 billion. This would help Vietnam compete with Thailand in China's durian market.

New policies have made this goal more possible. China officially recognized 18 more Vietnamese testing labs on July 31, making the total 50.

This change happened after exporters had problems earlier this year when some labs stopped working, slowing down customs clearance.

There are durian trees in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho.

At the same time, the government is making it faster to get codes for planting areas, taking only three days with a digital system.

The government is also trying to clean up the industry. They are punishing officials who took bribes and abused power, to make the system fairer.

Experts say fake trading of planting area codes has been a problem for years. The crackdown should make the industry more transparent and trustworthy.

Vietnam is trying to sell durians to more countries, not just China.

India is now open to buying Vietnamese durians, which is a new and promising market.

Dang Phuc Nguyen thinks shipments to India could make $50-100 million each year as people get to know the fruit.

Vietnam started officially exporting durians four years ago after signing a deal with China. Exports were $400 million in 2022 and $2.2 billion in 2023.

The durian industry has been growing very fast and is now one of the fastest-growing agricultural sectors.

Last year, durian exports were $3.8 billion, making it as important as rice, shrimp, and cashew nuts.

Unlike some other agricultural products, durians are grown and sold within Vietnam, which is good for local farmers.

Even though durians are very popular, the industry still relies too much on China, which buys 90% of exports. Experts say Vietnam needs to find new markets and make more processed durian products.

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