Vietnamese coffee farmers ride China’s durian wave

Vietnam's Central Highlands, which produces roughly one sixth of the world's coffee, is seeing a shift as coffee farmers turn to durian, the "king of fruits," to capitalize on surging Chinese demand. With its tropical climate and rich soil, the region has seen a fivefold increase in durian farming over the past decade, now covering 200,000 hectares nationwide.

Vietnam officially entered the Chinese durian market in 2022, becoming the country's biggest supplier by volume last year, surpassing Thailand's near two-decade dominance. Pham Xuan Lan, a local farmer, transformed his coffee farm into a durian orchard, expecting to earn $76,000 this year, a significant increase from $10,000 if he had stayed with coffee alone.

The boom in durian cultivation is fueled by surging Chinese demand, driven by expanding supply, growing popularity on social media platforms like Douyin, and cheaper prices due to increased competition and improved transport links. China imported nearly $7.5 billion worth of fresh durian in 2021, a near 12-fold increase from 2015.

However, there are concerns about over-reliance on China as a market and the risks of oversupply as more farmers join the trend.