Hanoi (VNA) – Despite lingering challenges, durian remains the leading contributor to Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable export revenue, with shipments expected to pick up in the coming months as competition from other regional suppliers eases.

According to the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, the country’s fruit and vegetable exports were estimated at 4.76 billion USD in the first seven months of 2026, up 23% year on year. Export turnover in July alone exceeded 1 billion USD.

Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the association, said durian remains the sector’s biggest growth driver, accounting for an estimated 35-40% of total fruit and vegetable export revenue so far this year and as much as 55-60% in July.

Nguyen said that provided product quality remains stable, Vietnamese durian exports are likely to gain momentum in the coming months as competition in the market declines.

Thailand’s main durian harvest typically runs from March to July, with similar seasons in Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia. In contrast, Vietnam’s Central Highlands harvest lasts from July to October, with output expected to rise significantly from last year.

The timing could give Vietnamese exporters a competitive advantage, particularly in China, the key destination for the fruit. Historically, Vietnam’s durian exports have also tended to surge in the third quarter.

Vietnamese businesses are already preparing to increase purchases of fresh durian for export as supplies from competing countries, particularly Thailand, decline in the Chinese market.

Meanwhile, exporters are increasingly turning to processing and freezing as another way to boost the value of durian exports, particularly when fresh fruit prices fall.

Frozen durian is expanding beyond China into markets including the Republic of Korea, Japan and the US. According to Nguyen, Vietnam’s frozen durian export volume in 2025 was 20 times higher than in 2023.

In the first quarter of 2026 alone, frozen durian exports reached nearly 11,600 tonnes, with an average price of around 4,302 USD per tonne, up more than 20% year on year.

Industry experts estimate that, under favourable conditions, Vietnam could export around 1 million tonnes of durian this year. The higher volume could help sustain overall export revenue despite prices being considerably lower than in recent years./.