Wait for India to open its doors to Vietnamese durian

On May 15, Mr. Le Van Thiet - Deputy Director of the Plant Protection Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development - shared his expectations about expanding the durian consumption market to India, a country with billions of people.

Currently, China is the largest market consuming Vietnamese durian. However, relying too much on a single market always poses risks. Therefore, opening the Indian market is good news for the Vietnamese durian industry. Mr. Thiet said Vietnam has submitted the application and is waiting for India to consider signing the protocol to start exporting durian to this country.

According to Mr. Thiet, India does not have strict regulations like China, and shipping costs by sea are also lower, so this is a potential market. However, the negotiation process to open the market will require time and effort from both sides.

Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, shared that durian exports in the first 4 months of 2024 have reached USD 500 million, up 30% over the same period in 2023, significantly thanks to the Chinese market.

Forecasting China's durian demand, Mr. Nguyen said the number could reach USD 3 billion, while in 2023, China spent USD 2.1 billion to import nearly 500,000 tons of durian from Vietnam.

Mrs. Ngo Tuong Vy, CEO of Chanh Thu Fruit Import-Export Group Joint Stock Company, commented that expanding the market is very important. However, the decisive factor is still the quality of Vietnamese durian. Mrs. Vy believes that if good quality is maintained, Vietnamese durian will attract many potential markets in the future.

Expanding the market to India brings great opportunities for the Vietnamese durian industry. It contributes to reducing dependence on the Chinese market, opening up prospects for sustainable development, and diversifying consumption sources for this important agricultural product.