China has decreased its import of durian from Vietnam. As a result, prices on the local market have collapsed. This is causing problems for local farmers, of whom many in recent years have switched to durian production because of the crop's good returns.
Qianjiang Province in the South of Vietnam is one of the main durian production regions. Due to good sale price in previous years, Wenbei Chen, a local farmer, switched entirely to the production of durian on his orchard which occupies 3,000 square meters.
Durian prices were not particularly bad at the start of the season, at around 60,000 Vietnamese dong (€2.40) per kilogram. However, at the start of the week, wholesale prices dropped considerably to 45,000 dong per kilogram. Wenbei Chen is in doubt whether to sell his crop now, or to wait for prices to stabilize at a higher level. But as the price is gradually going down each day, wholesalers are waiting to place their orders or buy as little as possible.
Durian grown in Qianjiang is mainly sold to the Chinese market. Import from China is lower than last season, leading to a local oversupply. Market prices are 20% down compared to 2014.
