Cambodian durian gains ground in China as buyer shifts from Thailand

PHNOM PENH, July 27, 2026 (KPT) – Cambodian durian is carving out a bigger share of the Chinese market, with a major buyer switching sourcing from Thailand to the Kingdom thanks to competitive prices, quality fruit and a faster overland route, officials said Saturday.

Khim Finan, spokesman for the Ministry of Agriculture, said Chinese firm Pechenda Fruit Production had previously imported durian from Thailand but is now shipping directly from Cambodia.

“Because Cambodia has good-quality durian, competitive prices and more efficient transportation, the company has decided to shift its sourcing and begin exporting directly from Cambodia to the Chinese market,” Finan told reporters.

His remarks came at a ceremony marking Pechenda’s first shipment of fresh durian to China from Battambang province – three containers carrying more than 50 tonnes, transported overland via Laos. The company expects to send about 200 tonnes more in the next two weeks.

Cambodia’s durian exports to China have surged, hitting 5,738 tonnes in the first seven months of 2026 – nearly 40 times the total volume in 2025. The ministry credited the jump to a new corridor through Laos that cuts delivery time to five days, compared with 15–20 days by sea.

Finan said the route, launched June 22, already handles nearly 10% of durian exports to China. He urged farmers and exporters to uphold standards to sustain growth.

Agriculture exports generated $6.46 billion in 2025, up 7.3% year-on-year, with rice, rubber, cassava, cashew nuts, mangoes, pepper, bananas and durian among the top earners.