Vietnamese coffee farmers ride China’s durian wave

Vietnamese coffee farmers are turning to durian production due to soaring Chinese demand for the fruit, according to AFP reporters in Dak Lak province. Vietnam produces around one sixth of the world's coffee, but farmers are shifting from traditional crops to durian to capitalize on the boom. Pham Xuan Lan, a farmer, believes that durian makes him wealthy, claiming he made US$76,000 this year from his 400 durian trees, compared to US$10,000 from coffee alone.

The Central Highlands, Vietnam's main coffee-producing region, now dedicates over 200,000 hectares to durian, up from a mere 180,000 hectares in 2021. Last year, Vietnam became the world's biggest supplier of durian to China, overtaking Thailand's near two-decade dominance. With China importing almost US$7.5 billion worth of fresh durian last year, the boom is driven by expanding supply and increased popularity on social media platforms like Douyin (TikTok).

However, concerns exist about overreliance on China and potential oversupply, as well as the challenges of maintaining quality in the rapidly expanding industry.