Export are increasing sharply, but domestic prices are under pressure.
According to data from Vietnam Customs Department, in the first five months of this year, durian export turnover reached US$562.4 million, an increase of 45.2% compared to the same period last year and accounting for about 20.3% of the country's total fruit and vegetable export turnover. China continues to be the largest market with a turnover of US$492 million, an increase of 76.7% and accounting for 87.5% of Vietnam's total durian export value.
However, contrary to positive export picture, domestic durian prices are trending downwards. In Southeastern and Central Highlands provinces, Dona durian (grade A) ranges from 60,000 to 65,000 VND/kg, while grade B is priced at 40,000 to 45,000 VND/kg. Compared to the end of last month, prices have decreased by approximately 3,000 to 5,000 VND/kg and are 10,000 to 20,000 VND/kg lower than the same period last year, depending on grade.
Although Central Highlands has not officially entered the harvest season, downward price trend has caused concern among many farmers. Dak Lak currently has the largest durian growing area in the country. According to a report by Department of Agriculture and Environment of Dak Lak province, by 2025, entire province will have more than 40,000 hectares of durian, with a production of approximately 400,000 tonnes and export revenue reaching about 1.1 billion USD. In 2026, production is expected to increase to approximately 500,000 tonnes thanks to the continued expansion of harvested area.
While supply is increasing sharply, market is facing stricter quality control requirements. From June 1st, China implemented Order 280, strengthening control over imported durian. Speaking with a reporter from the Industry and Trade Newspaper, Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, said that many businesses are becoming more cautious in purchasing and exporting durian due to China's implementation of Order 280 from June 1st, which strengthens quality control over imported durian. “Durian production in Vietnam and Thailand is increasing, while the extended harvest season in the South is also putting additional pressure on prices,” Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen commented.
One of major bottlenecks facing durian industry in Central Highlands today is the limited area granted planting area codes. According to management agency, two criteria are causing difficulties in practical application: a minimum area of 10 hectares for each planting area code; and the requirement to specialize in cultivating only one crop to meet integrated pest management procedures. Many households practice intercropping, thus failing to meet conditions for obtaining a planting area code.
Responding to the press after surveying planting areas, packaging facilities and durian testing laboratories in Dak Lak, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Hoang Hiep stated that Dak Lak currently has approximately 41,000 hectares of durian, of which 30,000 hectares are currently producing an estimated 500,000 tonnes. “The harvest will begin in about 15 days and last until September, so the risk of concentrated production during the peak ripening period is quite high,” Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep said.
According to Deputy Minister, next week the Ministry will continue working with China to promote the issuance of more planting area and packaging facility codes for Dak Lak. If fully approved, over 50% of the province's durian growing area will have codes, thereby significantly ensuring the supply of goods for export. The Ministry also advises locality to strengthen trade promotion, increase exports of fresh durian fruit, and expand the system of packaging facilities for frozen durian to consume the large production during concentrated harvest season.
Towards a safe and sustainable durian chain
In addition, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment said it will work with Dak Lak to implement the "30-day campaign" to issue planting area codes. Key solution is to transfer all procedures to an online format. The goal is to operate online declaration system on electronic portal by July 15th, allowing people to register and be issued codes through an automated process.
“If we continue to process paper documents with many procedures as we do now, it will be very difficult to complete campaign in a short time. Therefore, administrative procedures must be digitized and simplified,” Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep emphasized, adding that the Ministry will also coordinate with Dak Lak to exploit land databases and land identification systems to improve the accuracy and transparency of information on growing areas.
In long term, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment identifies market diversification and enhanced traceability as crucial conditions for increasing value of Vietnamese durian.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep shared that many businesses have proactively expanded exports to markets outside of China, with proportion reaching 70-80% of production at some packaging facilities. “All agricultural products must be traceable: who produced them, and according to what process. When traceability system is fully operational, the transparency and accountability of producers will be enhanced, thereby strengthening market confidence in Vietnamese agricultural products”, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep affirmed.
Simultaneous removal of procedural obstacles, expansion of markets, development of frozen processing and completion of traceability system are expected to help the Central Highlands durian industry overcome its current pressures, aiming for sustainable export growth and increased income for growers.

Source: Vitic/ congthuong.vn