BANGKOK – The influx of Thai fruit products into the Chinese market is expected to increase from May, as China has agreed to extend the opening hours of the Mohan border gate by three hours. This will reduce the transportation time for durian and mangosteen fruit to China from five to three days, allowing the fresh fruit to reach Chinese consumers faster.

On April 29, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Phumtham Wechayachai revealed that after leading a delegation to inspect the Mohan Railway Fruit Inspection Checkpoint and receiving information from Chinese government agencies, they had negotiated to extend operating hours to reduce congestion at the border gate to facilitate the transportation of Thai fruits to China.

In the past, Thai fruit has experienced problems with congestion at the border crossing, sometimes taking up to five days to get to China and then back to Boten in Laos. There were also problems with insufficient parking spaces for container trucks.

Phumtham said that to solve this problem, the Thai side wanted to discuss with the Chinese side and the governor of Xishuangbanna Autonomous Prefecture to propose extending the opening and closing hours of the border gate from the usual 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. to an additional three hours, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., to reduce truck congestion in front of the border gate. This was successful and the Chinese side agreed to support the proposal, as well as the problem of narrow entry and exit lanes for trucks.

In addition, the Mohan Border Gate informed that it is in the process of widening the road from the original 2 lanes (entry and exit checkpoints) to 12 lanes and asked for assistance in coordinating with messengers and the Lao side. It is expected that the lanes will be completed within 2 years.

On the Lao side, Phumtham discussed the matter with Mr. Ounchan Khamphavong, Deputy Governor of Luang Namtha Province in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, who agreed to extend the operating hours. This border crossing is the largest and most important as it is the gateway to the South China market and distribution throughout the country.

He asked the Lao side to inform Thailand every month about the traffic situation at the border crossing so that it can be used as information for the administration. The Lao side complied and instructed the Ministry of Foreign Trade to review the results of the extended operating hours of the border crossing to determine the extent to which fruit exports on this route would improve as a result.

“I came to the Mohan Railway Fruit Inspection Checkpoint to see the fruit inspection process, such as durian and mangosteen. The Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Chinese government, and the Chinese Customs are working together to solve the problem. I believe that this will help Chinese consumers eat fresh fruits, reduce transportation costs, and benefit Chinese consumers,” Phumtham said.

Data from the Department of Foreign Trade shows that Thailand export fresh, chilled, frozen and dried fruits totaling 6.94 billion US dollars in 2023, an increase of 22.77 percent from the previous year.

Exports of fresh fruit had a total value of US$ 5.4 billion Us dollars, an increase of 22.30 percent. Frozen fruit exports had a value of 764 million Us dollars, an increase of 52.17 percent. Dried fruit exports were worth 320.89 million Us dollars, a decrease of 4.39 percent.

China is the most important export market, accounting for 89.68 percent of Thailand’s exports of fresh, chilled, frozen and dried fruits.

NANNING – Opinions on durians, whether described as sticky-sweet or compared to the odor of socks, vary widely, yet the demand for durians is rapidly increasing, particularly in China.

After placing orders online for durians, Huang Rongsheng, a resident of south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, received doorstep delivery within about one hour. This was Huang’s third online order for durian this year.

“Thai durians, known for their rich flavor and dense texture, are particularly popular among Chinese consumers,” he said.

Thailand, the leading exporter of fresh durians to China, has seen sustained growth in demand for its produce. At a newly established display stand in a market around 5 km from Huang’s home, imported Thai durians, including varieties like Golden Pillow and Musang King, are drawing crowds of consumers.

“Despite limited quantities and high prices, consumer enthusiasm remains unabated,” said a fruit vendor at the supermarket.

China’s appetite for the pricy tropical fruit is enormous. According to an HSBC report from last year, the Chinese market accounted for 91 percent of the global demand for durian in the past two years.

Buoyed by the overwhelming demand, retailers are optimistic about their sales projections for 2024.

“There’s a robust demand in the Chinese domestic market,” said Lai Pingsheng with a subsidiary of Charoen Pokphand Group, a leading agribusiness conglomerate in Thailand.

In 2024, the company plans to sell 324 tonnes of Thai durians in Guangxi through supermarkets and convenience stores.

China imported approximately 6.7 billion U.S. dollars worth of durians in 2023. Economists believe that the surge in durian demand presents opportunities for the rest of Southeast Asia, not just Thailand.

Remarkable year-end figures from 2023 revealed that Vietnamese durian exports to China hit 2.1 billion U.S. dollars, capturing 31 percent of a growing durian market in its northern neighbor, according to data released by China’s General Administration of Customs.

The soaring popularity of durians in China underscores the increasing purchasing power of consumers and their preference for this fruit, said Mo Jiaming, general manager of Guangxi-based fruit company Youxianyuan.

“I am confident of profitable business during the upcoming peak durian season in May,” Mo added.