Durian boom ripening into supply chain story

BEIJING — When durian season arrives, it makes a grand entrance to China via railway wagon, cold-chain container and express vessel, bringing with it a fruit whose distinctive aroma may divide opinion, but whose commercial appeal is unmistakable.

In the space of about 24 hours from the morning of April 25, three "durian express" vessels carrying 356 containers and more than 6,300 metric tons of fresh Thai durians arrived at Nansha Port in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province. The fruit was to be distributed across China in time to add to supplies for the May Day holiday. Since April 15, Nansha Customs has supervised the import of more than 9,500 tons of fresh durians.

The railway picture is just as telling. From Jan 1 to April 26, the China-Laos Railway transported 50,300 tons of imported durians, up 94.2 percent year-on-year, according to China Railway Kunming Group. The figures show not only that Chinese consumers are buying more durians, but also that the supply routes serving this growing demand are becoming faster and more efficient.

Durians have long occupied an unusual place in China's fruit market. For devoted buyers, it is the "king of fruits", rich, creamy and worth paying for. For others, its unique smell remains a barrier.

Yet that traditional divide is narrowing as durians move beyond boutique supermarkets and first-tier urban consumers. Better cold-chain logistics, more efficient cross-border supply chains and the spread of e-commerce have brought durians into community group-buying channels, lower-tier cities and county-level markets.

That expansion has made China the center of gravity for the global durian trade. Customs data show that China imported about 1.87 million tons of fresh durians in 2025, making it the world's most important consumer market for the fruit. Industry participants say the consumer base has grown rapidly. Rising incomes, larger supply and improved cold-chain infrastructure have all helped enlarge the market.

For ports and railways, the challenge is speed, as fresh fruit is an unforgiving cargo. At Mohan railway port, the core hub for China-Laos Railway international freight, the authorities have deepened coordination with Laos' Boten port, streamlined customs procedures and worked to keep cross-border logistics flowing.