Durian diplomacy: China welcomes Cambodia’s first direct air shipments of fruit

The first Cambodian durians arrived in China’s central province of Henan by air over the weekend, marking the official launch of a direct air corridor for fresh fruit between the two nations.

The two-tonne shipment was transported using cold chain logistics in just four hours, allowing Chinese consumers to enjoy the fruit as if it were freshly harvested, according to a statement released Monday on the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia’s official WeChat account.

Durian is now the fifth fresh fruit approved for direct supply from Cambodia to the Chinese market – after bananas, mangoes, longans and coconuts – highlighting the growing agricultural trade and improved customs efficiency between the two countries, the statement said.

According to data from the Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture, durians are grown across more than 11,000 hectares, with annual output in the country exceeding 120,000 tonnes, the statement added.

Known for its distinctive odour and thorny rind, durians are indigenous to Southeast Asia. China has emerged as the world’s largest consumer market for the delicacy, with a premium 3-kilogram fruit priced at about 150 yuan (US$21) in urban supermarkets.

Since 2002, China has opened its market to more countries exporting the fruit, a move widely referred to as “durian diplomacy”. The growing appetite of Chinese consumers has spurred the trend, as well as Beijing’s efforts to deepen ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) amid US trade tensions.

Still, some industry insiders remain cautious about the commercial competitiveness of Cambodian durians.

South China Morning Post