Indonesian durian sellers smell big opportunity in China, world’s largest market

Name: Durian growers in China focus on quality to meet huge domestic demand for pungent fruit
Uploaded: 2025-11-28T10:00:16.000Z
Duration: 1 min 58 s
Description: Durian growers in China focus on quality to meet huge domestic demand for pungent fruit

In 2024, Indonesia exported US$1.8 million worth of the fruit to Thailand and Hong Kong, and began shipping fresh durians to China this year

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Durian for sale at a roadside stall in Lombok, Indonesia. Photo: Getty Images

SCMP’s Asia desk

Published: 6:00pm, 28 Nov 2025

Indonesia is looking to take a bite out of the lucrative durian trade to China following stronger bilateral cooperation in the sector, according to the Indonesian Durian Plantation Association.

Since Indonesia signed a frozen durian export protocol with China’s General Administration of Customs last May, eight local companies have passed the verification process, according to an Antara news agency report on Wednesday.

This means that Indonesian producers can export directly to China, bypassing intermediaries such as Thailand and Malaysia.

Last year, Indonesia exported 600 tonnes of durian, valued at US$1.8 million, mainly to Thailand and Hong Kong, according to Statistics Indonesia. This figure was the highest in the last five years.

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Durian growers in China focus on quality to meet huge domestic demand for pungent fruit

The country has been trying to tap into China’s increasing appetite for the king of fruits but has been lagging behind durian producers Thailand and Vietnam due to logistics and licensing, according to Eliza Mardian, a researcher at the Centre for Reform on Economics Indonesia.

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