Malaysia Quietly Overtaking Thailand as the ‘King of Durian’ – A New Era Begins?

February 7, 2025

For decades, Thailand has been the undisputed king of durian exports. But now, Malaysia is creeping up fast, making its mark as a global durian powerhouse. With China’s growing demand for durians, Malaysia is quickly expanding its market share, giving Thailand some serious competition.

Malaysia’s Durian Breakthrough in China

A game-changing moment arrived in June 2024 when Malaysia and China signed an agreement allowing Malaysia to export fresh durians for the first time. Previously, Malaysia was only allowed to send frozen durian pulp and whole frozen durians. The results? Massive sales in just three months!

Between August and October 2024, Malaysia’s fresh durian exports to China hit USD 4 million (RM17.71 million). With China’s obsession with durian skyrocketing, Malaysia is now seeing huge investment opportunities in its durian industry. But there’s a risk—BMI warns that depending too much on China could be dangerous, urging Malaysia to diversify its export markets.

The Great Durian War: Malaysia vs. Thailand vs. Vietnam

Thailand has always dominated the durian trade, controlling 63.8% of global durian exports from 2013 to 2023. But now, Malaysia and Vietnam are challenging its dominance.

“We anticipate increased competition in the durian market, with Malaysia and Vietnam rapidly expanding exports. Thailand’s grip on the industry is weakening,” stated BMI.

📉 Thailand’s current status:

✔ 22.8% annual durian export growth over the last decade

✔ 8.6% growth in the past five years

But with Malaysia and Vietnam aggressively pushing forward, Thailand’s hold on the industry may not last much longer.

Vietnam’s Internal Conflict – Durian or Coffee?

Vietnam’s durian exports are booming, but this has created tension within its agricultural sector. Vietnam is the largest Robusta coffee producer in the world, but now, many farmers are switching to durian farming because it’s more profitable. “Some farmers are abandoning coffee for durian, but intercropping (growing both) could be a long-term solution,” BMI noted. If this shift continues, Vietnam could become an even bigger durian exporter, making the competition even more intense.

Can Malaysia Take the Throne from Thailand?

With global durian demand at an all-time high, Malaysia’s industry is set for a major breakthrough. But to truly surpass Thailand, Malaysia must:

✔ Expand its export markets beyond China

✔ Increase production efficiency

✔ Maintain top-tier durian quality to outshine competitors

Could Malaysia dethrone Thailand as the world’s No.1 durian exporter? With the numbers rapidly changing, this durian war is just getting started!