“The highly-smelling fruit”
The durian is a tropical plant characterized by distinctive “spines” on the outer part of the peel, a yellow, fleshy pulp, and a strong, unpleasant odor that has even led to its ban on indoor spaces such as some hotels and airplanes. It is found both in its whole form and in the form of a paste, which is used in other products such as ice cream, pie and even pizza.
Although it is a traditional product for the region, about ten years ago Chinese consumers discovered that it increased consumption so much that it turned some of the farmers into millionaires. In the fruit’s largest producers – Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam – even coffee trees and jungles are being uprooted to clear land for plantations.
This trend has influenced culture so much that the Malaysian expression for a windfall is “durian runduh”.
According to The New York Times, China is a major importer of durian, with countries in the Southeast Asian region expected to export $6.7 billion worth of durian by 2023 – twelve times more than six years earlier. In addition to profits from sales, producers profit from foreign (mostly Chinese) investments in packaging and logistics factories. The average price of a fruit is from 2 to 10 dollars, while the highest grade can reach hundreds of dollars, turning it into a status symbol. However, the price of mangoes in Malaysia has fallen tenfold, the publication writes.
The strong smell of the fruit is an obstacle to its transportation. The farmers’ alternatives are to send it while it is still green, or to freeze it, which affects the taste. Thailand is introducing quality inspection points before shipment, while China is changing its regulations to include freshness requirements.
This is leading to a decline in demand and prices for durian. “We, the farmers, are seeing a 60% drop in profits this season,” a Malaysian businessman told The New York Times.
On the other hand, local consumers are happy with the lower prices of the fruit, which have not been so affordable for years, and the government has bought up part of the surplus in an attempt to help farmers.
According to Agriculture Minister Moxhamad Saby, the glut is temporary and the next peak season – in June – will be a clearer test of the current state of the market.
Meanwhile, MSN reported that Vietnam’s durian exports to China increased by 469% year-on-year in the first two months of 2026 (especially during the Lunar New Year holiday), with some markets even seeing price increases. This suggests that Chinese consumers’ interest is growing, but their preference for quality is hampering supply chains, as Beijing recently signed trade deals with Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Laos, the BBC reports.
“We need to adjust the supply chain to accommodate this shift in the export of fresh durians,” Eric Chan, president of the Durian Producers Association of Malaysia, told The New York Times. Another problem facing Malaysian farmers is China’s crackdown on the fruit. This could lead to an even greater crisis in the sector. For this reason, the largest producers are turning to other markets such as Taiwan and Peru. The problem, however, remains that their scale is significantly smaller than that of China, and thousands of trees planted years ago are only now starting to bear fruit.
Meanwhile, Asian producers are complaining of up to 40% lower production due to adverse weather conditions.
The Chinese market’s interest in durian is a golden ticket for Malaysian farmers. This not only helps local businesses and the economy grow, but also leads to improvements in infrastructure – from trains and containers to roads and newer cars. However, the decline in interest in local production is setting the country back decades. To prevent this, farmers need to adapt to new consumer preferences and demands.
