According to customs data, Vietnam exported US$919 million worth of durian in the first five months, up 74% year-on-year.
This made durian its top fruit export at 3.5 times that of dragon fruit in second place.
Exports of the odoriferous fruit were worth $450 million in May alone, more than double the previous month’s value and an 34% higher than a year ago, the General Department of Customs reported.
They were estimated at $600 million in June, according to Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (Vinafruit).
China has been Vietnam’s largest durian importer this year, he said.
Vietnam harvests the fruit all year long, helping it avoid direct competition with durian from Thailand as the latter’s harvest is seasonal, he said.
Being closer to China it also has lower transportation costs and faster shipping times.
But some of its shipments have recently been flagged in China for containing banned substances, damaging the reputation of Vietnamese durian, Nguyen said.
He underlined the need to strengthen quality control at both orchards and packaging facilities to ensure no contaminated fruit is shipped.
In the first five months of 2024 Vietnam exported over $2.65 billion worth of fruits and vegetables, up 30.9% from the same period last year.
