Maroc - EURASIAREVIEW.COM - A la une - 30/12/2024 00:15

Indonesia To Directly Export Durians To China – OpEd

Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs, Zulkifli Hasan said the high demand for durian from China could reach US$8 billion (approximately Rp128 trillion). Thus, he said, the ministry is undertaking durian exports to China, a process that the government started a while ago, the Tempo magazine said.  “We have been in the process of exporting durian to China for a long while because of its significant value, amounting to $8 billion, if I’m not mistaken,” Tempo reported quoting Zulkifli as saying on Dec.18. 2024.  In a similar vein, the Director General of National Export Development, Didi Sumedi, confirmed that durian is recording a booming demand in China.  He then conveyed the good news to durian farmers. Meanwhile, Zukifli said Indonesia is currently only able to produce durian paste for exports. The products, commonly used for ice cream, have a complicated and lengthy manufacturing process and a lower selling price.  Thus, the minister said, the government seeks to export the whole durian fruit in the near future, as well as exporting them directly to China without transit. Thus, the minister said, the government seeks to export the whole durian fruit in the near future, as well as exporting them directly to China without transit.  “We have a lot (of durian) from Central Sulawesi. To reach China, they must first be transported to Thailand. That’s another cut to our profit,” Tempo reported quoting Zulkifli as saying. He explained that based on the results of the Indonesian Quarantine Agency meeting, China will run a direct inspection of Indonesia’s durian commodity early next year.  According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) newspaper, China’s middle class consumers have been tightening their purse strings, but their appetite for durian – pungent, spiky fruit mostly imported from Southeast Asia – continues to grow. In Chinese cities, durians have transcended their status as a fruit to become a fashionable choice for young consumers. The catering sector has responded with “everything can be + durian” promotions that have spawned a proliferation of durian-themed restaurants with offerings ranging from drinks and desserts to hotpots and buffets.  According to the SCMP, the consumption of durians has been growing. For example, the imports of China in $1.2 billion has jumped to $6.2 billion in 2024 After Indonesian durians enter the Chinese markets, the market will grow further in Chinese cities and towns.  On Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, topics such as “durian barbecue” and “durian buffet” have amassed more than 1.24 billion views.  According to the VnExpress newspaper, based on results of the Indonesian Quarantine Agency meeting, China will run a direct inspection of Indonesia’s durian early next year. After the process is completed, the two countries can sign an MoU so that Indonesian durian can directly access the Chinese market, Zulkifli added. In Southeast Asia, Indonesia’s competitors will be Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand. According to Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, Vietnam typically has an edge over Thailand around year-end when it has off-season durian to export to China unlike Thailand, whose harvest ends well before that. According to the VnExpress. Chinese demand also rises at that time as consumers ramp up purchases for the year-end holidays and the Lunar New Year. Vietnam enjoys transport advantages such as road and rail links with China, which helps its exporters save time and costs, he added. In a bid to boost its competitiveness, Thailand’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency recently rolled out a project called One Tambon, One Digital that aims enhance durian farmers' productivity, strengthen consumer trust in Thai durians, and promote high-value products on a global scale, particularly amid competition from China and nearby nations, the Bangkok Post newspaper reported. The initiative will help over 6,100 farming households adopt digital platforms to record cultivation data and train 12,200 farmers in 23 provinces in e-commerce and Good Agricultural Practices, which is required to export durian. The country has 163,200 hectares under durian, and grows 1.53 million tons of the fruit annually. Durian accounted for 69 percent of its fruit exports in 2023, with China being the primary export market. Vietnam shipped 500,000 tons of durian worth $2.3 billion that year, with 90 percent going to China. It has 154,000 ha under the fruit and an output of 1.2 million tons. According to the latest data, Vietnam exported $3.1 billion durians in 2024. It previously surpassed Thailand in durian exports to China earlier this year, shipping 32,750 tons in the first two months of 2024. Thailand’s exports in the same period plunged by half to 19,000 tons. According to the Vietnam Plus website, Vietnam’s efforts in expanding export markets for its fruits and vegetables in 2024 has paid off as for the first time, the export of these products has brought home US$7.2 billion, much higher than the figure of $3.3 billion two years ago.Vietnamese pomelos have officially entered the Republic of Korean, while passion fruits have made their way to Australia. Additionally, Vietnam and China signed protocols to facilitate Vietnamese fresh coconuts and frozen durians to enter the Chinese market. Particularly, Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports to China exceeded $4 billion this year. Vietnam is also poised to overtake Thailand as the leading exporter of durian to China within the next one to two years. This year saw Vietnam surpass Thailand’s durian exports during its off-season for the first time ever.   Durian continues to lead fruit export value at approximately $1.7 billion in the first seven months of 2024, accounting for 41% of the total, according to the government's news portal.