Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese Traders Flock to Cambodia for Durians

According to a news report by the Khmer Times, the Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is negotiating with China’s General Administration of Customs regarding the official export of Cambodian durians to China.

Last year, Chinese traders inspected durian orchards in Cambodia and were reportedly highly satisfied with the taste and quality of the fruit. Khim Finan, undersecretary of state and spokesman for the MAFF, stated that negotiations are currently in progress for the export of several fruits to China, including durians, pineapples and jackfruit.

Although Cambodian durians have not yet gained official access to the Chinese market, large quantities have been shipped to Thailand and Vietnam before being re-exported to China. Recently, many Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese traders have flocked to the district of Thma Bang in Cambodia’s Koh Kong province to buy durians. Despite drought and high temperatures adversely affecting durian production in nearby Thailand and Vietnam, the ample rainfall and dense forests in Thma Bang have led to a 20–30% increase in durian production this year. Consequently, there has been a significant rise in the number of foreign traders directly purchasing durians from Cambodian orchards compared with previous years.

A local durian farmer noted that Thai traders purchased approximately 300 metric tons of durians in the first week of June alone, while Chinese and Vietnamese traders each bought about 60 metric tons. The purchased durians were reportedly of high quality, free from pests and spoiled fruits, and had ripeness levels of 80–85%. The average price was approximately 14,000 Cambodian riel ($3.40) per kilogram, similar to that paid by local buyers.

Some local growers have expressed concerns about whether the foreign buyers will label the fruits as products of Cambodia. Nevertheless, they are pleased that more people are becoming aware of durians from Thma Bang.

May and June represent the peak of Cambodia’s durian season. According to the MAFF, the durian cultivation area in Cambodia has now reached 5,289 hectares, yielding an annual output of 36,656 metric tons. Key production regions include the provinces of Battambang, Kampot, Pursat, Kampong Cham, Tboung Khmum, Koh Kong and Ratanakiri.

Image: Pixabay

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article.