Frozen durian - the billion dollar door

The company said that exporting frozen durian has few technical barriers and the product can reach anywhere in China.

A shipment of 24 tons of frozen durian from Dak Lak was completed by the enterprise to export to China on March 24. This is the first frozen shipment to be exported after Vietnam and China signed an import-export protocol in August 2024.

Exporting frozen goods is considered by businesses as a new opportunity for Vietnam's billion-dollar fruit, especially in the context of difficulties in exporting fresh durian.

A business leader in Dak Lak said his company has submitted documents to export frozen goods to China. With many years of experience in this field, he believes that if the first shipments are successful, the export process will be smoother.

According to the Dak Lak Durian Association, many businesses are preparing the necessary procedures to boost exports in large quantities when the main season begins. Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tung, CEO of Vina T&T, said this is a great opportunity. His company is currently waiting for a license from China to have its packaging factory recognized, creating favorable conditions for exports.

Mr. Tung shared that over the years, the company has exported frozen goods to the US, Canada, and South Korea. With a modern technology system and strict control process, the company is confident in meeting China's strict requirements. He emphasized that the successful export of the first batch of fresh durian is an important turning point, opening up great growth opportunities for this industry.

Chairman of the Dak Lak Durian Association, Mr. Vu Duc Con, expects frozen durian exports this year to contribute at least 600-700 million USD, reaching billions of USD in the future.

Durian is harvested at a garden in the West. Photo: Manh Khuong

According to Mr. Con, exporting frozen goods has many advantages. Fresh durian is often strictly tested for cadmium residue and yellow O, while frozen split durian almost does not face these barriers. Some businesses in Dak Lak have tested and confirmed that split durian is not at risk of being contaminated with these substances.

In addition, frozen products can utilize small or unattractive fruits while still ensuring quality, helping to solve the problem of congestion and avoiding "good harvest, low price". With the ability to preserve for up to a year, frozen durian can be exported to many domestic areas of China, instead of being limited to the southern market like fresh durian.

Mr. Tung said that freezing technology at temperatures below -45 degrees Celsius helps destroy pests, ensuring that goods meet technical regulations from China.

According to Mr. Nguyen Quang Hieu, representative of the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), enterprises wishing to export frozen products to China must register with the General Department of Customs of this country (GACC). After being approved by GACC, the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection will check the documents, then send a letter of introduction to GACC.

Currently, more than 20 Vietnamese enterprises have been licensed by GACC to export frozen durian to China. This is a market with huge consumption demand, not only for fresh consumption but also for processing into confectionery, ice cream, and even as an ingredient for hot pot. It is forecasted that in the near future, the output of frozen durian exported to China will continue to increase rapidly.

China's demand for this fruit is about 1.5 million tons per year, while domestic production is not enough to meet the demand. Although China has started to grow durian on Hainan Island with an area of about 2,700 hectares, the supply is still insignificant. Frozen durian with the advantage of long-term preservation and convenient transportation is becoming an important solution for Vietnamese goods.

In 2024, China will continue to maintain its position as the world's largest durian consumer market. According to statistics from China Customs, the country imported about 1.56 million tons of durian, worth nearly 7 billion USD, up 9.4% in volume and 4% in value compared to 2023.

Vietnam currently accounts for 42.1% of the country's market share with a turnover of nearly 3 billion USD, up 38% compared to last year, while Thailand still leads with more than 4 billion USD but down 12.1%. Malaysia and the Philippines only contribute a small part, with exports reaching 5.7 million USD and 32.5 million USD respectively.

Thailand and Malaysia are the two countries that mainly supply frozen durian to China, with a total annual export value of more than 1 billion USD. However, with the rapid development of this industry, Vietnamese businesses expect frozen goods to become a spearhead to help increase export turnover, affirming Vietnam's position in the world market.

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