Spark Deep Dive: China’s push to grow durian in tropical Hainan

Every day from dawn to midnight, Huang Qijun nurtures and tends to 10,056 durian trees in Hainan.

The nearly 40-hectare (99-acre) durian orchard is mostly managed by only one caretaker, and much of the work is handled by machines. Each tree is equipped with sensors that monitor temperature and humidity. When one needs water, Huang receives an alert on his smartphone. With a simple tap of the app, towering irrigation sprinklers beside the tree activate instantly.

Standing at the centre of China’s home-grown durian industry, trees in Huang’s plantation are less than five years old. This is much younger than the decades- or centuries-old farms common in Southeast Asian countries.

Du Baizhong, general manager of the Hainan Youqi Agricultural Company, said, “For Chinese durians, there’s only one path forward: we must focus on producing high-quality products.”

“Hainan can learn from Japan. Japan has a relatively small land area, so they prioritise quality above all else in agricultural development.”

Du explained that the key to premium quality durians is tree-ripening. This means the fruits are left to fully mature on the branch until they drop naturally. Made-in-Hainan means ripened durians do not need to go through customs clearance and can freshly arrive at customers around the country within 48 hours by air. The peak flavour lasts only 3-4 days after harvest, with quality noticeably declining every day after that, Du said.

Most durians from Southeast Asia – primarily from Thailand – are picked at 60 to 70 per cent maturity and then artificially ripened with chemicals, he said. While this extends their shelf life, it sacrifices quality. It triggers an uneven texture and enhances the fruit’s infamous smell that deters many. It is not true durian aroma, but ethylene by-products, he explained.

China consumes more than 85 per cent of the world’s supply of durians annually. However, there was a long-held belief in Hainan that the country’s only tropical province was unsuitable for growing durians, despite the region’s similar latitude to Southeast Asia. Previous large-scale cultivation efforts all failed, though some individual trees planted in household backyards did bear fruit.

The main reason lies in monsoons deeply influencing the island’s weather, making it more unpredictable in terms of temperature and rain, shifting between sunshine and storms. That is not ideal for durian trees, which need a more stable climate.

Staff writer

1. Using the information in the news, which of the following is true?

(1) Huang uses technology to manage the durian orchard.
(2) Most of Huang’s durian trees are more than 10 years old.
(3) Du says that China can learn from Japanese orchards, which focus on quantity.
(4) Durians from Thailand are picked at 60 to 70 per cent maturity.

A. (1), (3) only
B. (1), (4) only
C. (2), (3) only
D. (3), (4) only

2. Using the news, list TWO reasons why China is the main consumer of durian but not the main producer.

3. Why might locally-grown durians be more appealing to customers in China, despite fewer orchards compared to Southeast Asia? Explain using the news and your own knowledge.

1. What is being shown in the cartoon?

2. How does this cartoon relate to the information in the news?

irrigation: the process of supplying water to land or crops. It is usually done through channels, or pathways dug in the ground. There are various types of irrigation, such as surface irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, and subirrigation, where water is supplied from below the ground’s surface.

customs clearance: ensuring that goods entering or leaving a country comply with regulations, taxes, and duties before being transported.

ethylene: a flammable hydrocarbon gas. It occurs in natural gas, coal gas, and crude oil. It is also released by ripening fruit and acts as a plant hormone, which can induce fruit ripening.

cultivation: the act of caring for or raising plants

News

1. B

2. According to the news, China consumes 85 per cent of all durian grown across the globe, which likely can be attributed to the popularity of the fruit as well as China’s massive population.

However, as the news reveals, China’s climate is not suitable for adequate durian growth, even in Hainan, which is on a similar latitude to Southeast Asia. This is because durians need a stable climate, but the volatile weather in Hainan makes it unfavourable for durian orchards.

3. Durians grown in Hainan would be picked fresh, and customers would get great quality fruit. However, durians from Southeast Asia are artificially ripened with chemicals to extend their shelf life in time for importation. This makes the texture uneven and accentuates the strong smell. Additionally, locally grown products could be cheaper compared to imported goods from Southeast Asia. Finally, supporting domestic orchards would contribute to the local economy.

Illustration

1. This cartoon shows two people looking at a durian grown in China, according to the words on the pedestal. Behind the people are buckets and buckets of durians from Southeast Asian nations including the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand.

2. This cartoon shows a single durian from China, but many from Southeast Asia. This shows that, while the majority of durians are grown in Southeast Asia, the Chinese are still fascinated by the idea of local durian orchards, though they are fewer in quantity so far.