Market Trends of Fresh Durian Industry
This section covers the major market trends shaping the Fresh Durian Market according to our research experts:
Expanding Trade Market for Durians
The global trade of durian fruit is currently dominated by two countries, whereby China dominates the import activities, while Thailand dominates the export, followed by Malaysia. On the other hand, China dominated global imports with 821,589 metric ton in 2021. China's durian market is expanding rapidly, with most imported durians originating from Thailand. This is followed by Hong Kong, Taipei, Singapore, and the United States.
However, rising awareness related to the health benefits of durian fruit, such as blood sugar control, reducing the risk of cancer, antioxidant, antidepressant, anti-aging properties, etc., among consumers is prompting the demand across the countries. Thus, the demand for fruits is expanding beyond China.
Durian and mangosteen are very popular among European customers. With a good market response from Europe, Thai exporters such as Kodanmal Group CO., LTD are expanding their export range to other regions such as the United States, Europe, and the Middle East with all the necessary quality certifications. The fresh fruits are exported to Europe via distributors. The products are sold in big chain supermarkets and wholesale markets.
Furthermore, in 2020, Malaysia exported durians to Saudi Arabia, with the D24 variety being chosen for export because of its affordability. The first consignment of the fruits reached Saudi Arabia for the first time in late November 2020. Arabs strongly believe that fruits possess a lot of health benefits. While durian is popular with the Asian community, a huge lift in demand was observed due to the pandemic.
Asia-Pacific is the Largest and Fastest-Growing Region
Asia-Pacific is not only leading in production but also in terms of consumption which essentially arises from China. Between 2010 and 2020, durian consumption in China grew at a rapid pace, with an average annual growth rate of more than 16%. A new-found demand for the creamy texture of the Malaysian Mustang King variety along with the ever-growing demand for Mon Thong is observed in China. China 2021, imported 8,21,589.3 metric tons of fresh durians during the year, as compared to 5,75,901.3 metric tons in 2017.
Durian has become an increasingly popular fruit across Asia and efforts are underway to develop the untapped Japanese market. The Japan Durian Promotion Association plans to help increase demand among Japanese consumers, increase imports and even develop production in Japan as the temperatures in Okinawa are warm enough to grow durians.
With an expanding base of health-conscious consumers and middle-income households, the market for durians is further expected to get a boost in the country as the fruit is a rich source of nutrients such as Iron, Vitamin C, and Potassium. The demand for the fruit has reportedly emerged as an essential topping on pizzas and hotpot broths along with increased usage of durian pulps and pastes in the foodservice industry. Thus, the market for fresh durians is expected to register rapid growth in the region, during the forecast period.
