ASEAN exporters intensify competition with Vietnam in China’s fruit market
Cambodia, Malaysia and Thailand are improving market access and logistics for fruit shipments to China, narrowing Vietnam’s traditional advantages. Falling durian prices show how expanding supply and faster transport are reshaping competition.
New routes and approvals widen access
Competition among Southeast Asian fruit suppliers in China is intensifying as countries secure new phytosanitary approvals and invest in faster transport. Vietbao, citing information released in July 2026 by Vietnam’s Import-Export Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, reported that Cambodia had received permission to export fresh jackfruit to China through official channels. The approval followed bilateral agreements on quarantine and food safety.
The decision adds jackfruit to Cambodia’s expanding list of agricultural products eligible for the Chinese market. In June 2026, Cambodia and China also signed an SPS protocol covering dried longan. Cambodia has simultaneously launched a transport route using the Laos-China railway corridor, cutting the journey for agricultural goods from about 20 days to nearly one week.
Malaysia and Thailand pursue logistics advantages
Malaysia aims to raise fresh durian exports to $229 million by 2030. It is seeking Thai approval to move durian by road and rail through Thailand to China, which could lower logistics costs. The initiative follows a domestic supply surplus that pushed Malaysian durian prices down by more than 90%. Vietbao noted, however, that observers consider Thai approval unlikely because Malaysia and Thailand compete in the same market.
Even with transit access, Malaysian exporters would still need to meet China’s quarantine, traceability and trade-fraud controls. Thailand, meanwhile, is reinforcing its established position through cold-chain investment. During the peak season, Thai durian can reach Kunming in 26 hours through the Lancang-Mekong Express cold chain and can then be distributed to more than 30 Chinese cities within 48 hours, according to the Import-Export Department.
Durian prices expose pressure on Vietnam
Vietnam’s durian exports expanded rapidly after official access to China began in 2022, supported by geographic proximity, complementary harvest seasons and available supply. Those advantages are now being eroded as competing origins shorten delivery times and improve compliance. Retail prices in China for Vietnamese and Thai Monthong durian currently range from 20 to 30 yuan per 0.5 kilogram, compared with 35 to 45 yuan in the same period last year.
The correction has been sharper in wholesale trade. Between April and June, the price of Vietnamese grade A Monthong durian at Chinese wholesale markets fell from 36.5 yuan to 13 yuan per 0.5 kilogram. The equivalent Thai product declined from 26.5 yuan to 18 yuan. The Import-Export Department attributed the broader fall mainly to improved logistics and lower import tariffs, which increased supply entering China. Companies cited by the department expect premium durian to retain a separate price segment, while mass-market fruit faces stronger price competition.
Vietnam faces a value-chain test
The changing market raises the cost of relying on proximity and fresh-fruit volume alone. Hoàng Văn Việt of the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City told Vietbao that certification may open a market, but stable quality, transparent data and substantive responsibility are needed to retain it. He argued that companies should plan around market requirements and the capabilities of their growing areas rather than simply selling what they already produce.
Việt also identified the model of one raw material, one product, one season and one market as a vulnerability. Mango growers and processors, for example, could combine fresh exports with frozen fruit, juice, dried fruit and processing ingredients. Such diversification would create several revenue streams from the same production area and reduce exposure to one harvest or destination.
For Vietnamese suppliers, defending market share in China will therefore depend on traceability, consistent quality, processing capacity and reliable delivery. Cambodia’s new approvals, Thailand’s rapid cold chain and Malaysia’s search for cheaper transit demonstrate that access is becoming an operational contest. Producers and exporters that cannot differentiate premium fruit or redirect lower grades into processing will remain most exposed to price pressure.
