In Hainan province, China, a shift towards cultivating durians domestically is emerging, led by farmers such as Mr Zhang Mingming. Despite the fruit's foreign origins, the Chinese market's appetite for durians is robust, with imports reaching 1.4 million tons in 2023. The introduction of local varieties like Monthongs and Musang Kings marks 2024 as the second year of domestic availability. However, limited production and high costs currently restrict access to these fruits for most consumers.
China's significant commercial production only commenced in 2018, primarily in the tropical climate of Hainan. Additional cultivation occurs in Guangxi, Guangdong, and Yunnan provinces. The inaugural substantial harvest in 2023 amounted to 50 tons, with projections for 2024 set at 200 tons, as per Feng Xuejie of the Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The limited output is attributed to the trees' youth and the adverse impact of typhoons in Hainan.
Efforts are underway to enhance both the quantity and quality of the domestically produced durians, which currently exhibit variable taste profiles. Mr Zhang's experience highlights the initial challenges and subsequent improvements in flavour following adjustments in cultivation practices. The endeavour to refine durian production in China remains in a developmental phase, necessitating ongoing research and experimentation.
Even on Hainan, durians can grow only in the south of the island, Mr Zhang said. Mr Feng noted that this, coupled with Chinese consumers' voracious appetite for the fruit, means that local production is unlikely to affect sales of South-east Asian durians in China. Domestic durians, he said, serve more as a supplement to imports.
In 2023, China imported 929,000 tons of fresh durians from Thailand, 493,000 tons from Vietnam, and 3,763 tons from the Philippines – with total shipments valued at over US$6.7 billion (S$9 billion).
Source: asianews.network