"Durian exports to China have become smoother. Now, every month, our company exports about 35-40 containers of fresh durians to China," said Nguyen Dinh Tung, Chair and CEO of Vina T&T Group.

Tung noted that earlier this year, durian exports to China were halted because Chinese customs inspected 100 percent of shipments for the banned substance Auramine O, a cancer-causing chemical, and heavy metal cadmium.

To avoid risks and ensure smooth customs clearance at the border, Tung's company had to pause exports to standardize processes and complete procedures. Durian is a high-value product, with a 16-18 ton container worth billions of VND. If shipments are returned, the company would face significant losses.

Fortunately, over the past two months, exports have resumed, with volumes matching last year's levels (2024), according to Tung. Last year, Vina T&T Group exported thousands of fresh durian containers to China.

The Customs Department reported that in the first five months of the year, Vietnam's durian exports reached $387 million, down nearly 58 percent compared to the same period last year.

However, in May, durian exports surged 139 percent compared to April 2025. Exports to the traditional Chinese market recovered, increasing by nearly 208 percent.

According to Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, since May, durian export turnover has recovered and grown strongly, particularly in markets such as China (including Hong Kong), Thailand, and Cambodia.

In June alone, durian export turnover was $350-400 million. This helped Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports reach nearly $810 million, up 30.9 percent from May and 20.7 percent from June 2024.

This was the first month this year that fruit exports recorded positive growth after five consecutive months of decline.

"Looking at June's turnover figures, you can see that durian exports have returned to normal levels as in 2024," Nguyen said. He predicted that during the peak months ahead (September and October), durian exports could bring in $500-550 million per month.

Nguyen added that China remains the main export market, accounting for over 90 percent of Vietnam's durian export turnover. Since May, companies have better controlled banned Auramine O and cadmium levels in durian, facilitating smoother exports.

"Previously, companies bought durian in bulk and only tested samples afterward, leading to high return rates. Now, companies require farms and intermediaries to test for banned substances first, and only purchase products if quality standards are met," Nguyen explained. This means companies now take one more step before having samples tested.

Additionally, this is the durian harvest season in the Southeast and Central Highlands regions. According to Nguyen, these two regions effectively control cadmium levels in durian, making customs clearance to China smoother.

Currently, high-quality Ri6 durian is priced at VND52,000-65,000/kg, while lower-grade dirian costs VND25,000-30,000/kg. Similarly, premium Monthong durian fetches VND72,000-90,000/kg, and lower-grade ones are priced at VND32,000-50,000/kg.

At these prices, durian farmers still earn considerable profits.

"However, durian prices are unlikely to return to the golden era of 2023-2024," Nguyen said. China remains the world's largest durian consumer, but supply for the market is increasing.

Previously, only Thailand and Vietnam officially exported durian to China. Now, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Laos have joined the market. Additionally, both Thailand and Vietnam are expanding their durian cultivation areas. Abundant supply leads to lower prices.

According to the Customs Department, in the first five months of this year, Cambodia spent nearly 19 times more than the same period last year to buy Vietnamese durians, with turnover reaching $1.13 million. The country has become one of Vietnam's top 10 durian export markets and the market with the highest growth rate in the first five months of this year.

Vietnam is the world's second-largest durian producer and exporter, trailing only Thailand. In less than a decade, Vietnam's durian industry has seen remarkable growth in both cultivation area and output, expanding from 32,000 hectares in 2015 to nearly 180,000 hectares in 2024, a nearly sixfold increase.

With production surpassing 1.5 million tons in 2024, durian has become one of the fastest-growing fruits in the country. The export turnover of the "king of fruits" also exceeded $3.2 billion in 2024.

Vietnam is also a durian importer. In 2024, durian import turnover reached $16.2 million, a 727 percent surge compared to the previous year.

Tam An