Thailand's position as the top exporter of fresh durians to China might be at risk, said an industry source quoted by Xinhua News Agency.
The Xinhua report follows a recent report of 48,000 tonnes of durian shipments being transported through Youyiguan, China's major land border checkpoint, in the first quarter of this year.
Of that amount, 35,000 tonnes were durian from Vietnam and 13,000 tonnes were from Thailand, the Chinese news agency said.
The figures showed a 48.1% increase in Vietnamese exports and a 59.5% drop in Thai supply.
The source said Thai durian shipments to China during the period dropped partially due to lower production caused by drought and heat in the kingdom.
Last year, China imported 1.42 million tonnes of fresh durians, with 928,644 tonnes supplied by Thailand (65.19%), while Vietnam shipped 492,111 tonnes (34.55%), followed by the Philippines at 3,770 tonnes (0.26%).
Data about durian consumption in China further indicates that Thailand faces stiff competition from both Vietnam and the Philippines.
A major importer of durians in China told Xinhua that before 2023, the company imported durians from Thailand only, but later, it had to diversify its supply sources to cater to increasing demands from consumers.
Imports are now split between Thailand and Vietnam, the importer told Xinhua. Vietnam has an advantage over Thailand due to shorter distances and lower costs, the news agency reported. Thailand has seen a reduction in its market share since September 2022, it said.
The report said Thailand must work hard to maintain its competitiveness by implementing strict quality control measures for its durian exports. To do that, Thailand needs to enhance the efficiency of transportation and logistics, it said.
According to a Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) official, China allows imports of fresh durians from three countries -- Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
In 2022, the Thai market share made up more than 95% because Vietnam was only allowed to begin supplying durians to China in August of that year while the Philippines began in early 2023, according to DITP.