Durian growers scent opportunity as Chinese demand spikes

A bite or two of durian, the notoriously pungent fruit grown throughout Southeast Asia, comes pretty close to being a rite of passage for travelers to the region.

Recent decades have seen China become the largest trading partner and primary source of tourists for most of the region’s 11 countries – and those millions of visitors have brought home a taste of the so-called king of fruits, recognizable by its spiky green exterior and thick, creamy flesh that yields easily to a scoop or spoon.

In 2024, China imported nearly $7 billion worth of durian, with Thailand and Vietnam supplying around 90%. Other countries are vying to grab a share of this huge demand, with Laos’ Communist Party leaders recently given permission to export durian to China – possibly via a Chinese-built fast train between Vientiane and Kunming.

Around the same time, Indonesia announced a first shipment of frozen durian to China – “the result of a long process that required a lot of time and resources,” according to the government.

And while Indonesia’s entry into the fray potentially opens a new front in the battle for market share in the world’s second-largest economy, the sprawling archipelago’s population of nearly 300 million and significant domestic demand for durian will likely limit the amount of fruit available for sale abroad.

How to approach durian for the first time

For anyone visiting Southeast Asia and looking to enjoy it despite its stench, here are some tips on what to look for to make sure you get the best that durian has to offer.

First of all, the prickly shell of the fruit should not be damaged. A quick shake of the durian should reveal whether it’s ripe: if you’re ready to eat, the flesh inside will dissolve and you should hear a clicking sound.

Durian fruit deteriorates quickly and should therefore be consumed as quickly as possible. To access the flesh inside the fruit, you will need a pair of thick gloves. Cut the fruit in half with a sharp knife, then remove the flesh at the seams where the shell has been broken.

From durian-themed cafes in Singapore to the controversial fruit-based coffee drink in Malaysia, the polarizing “stinky fruit” phenomenon has as many enemies as it does fans.

The Singapore Annual durian festival

Perhaps the biggest event each year is the Durian Fiesta, which takes place between March and July in Singapore.

The Goodwood Park Hotel, which has hosted the event in previous years, concedes that durian, with its spiny green shell and creamy texture, is “an acquired taste”.

But the durian is as versatile as it is schismatic. Its gooey texture allows the hotel’s nimble chefs to whip up an abundance of gooey concoctions for the city-state’s durian connoisseurs.

“Each year, the hotel welcomes returning fans and welcomes new durian lovers with a much-anticipated collection of new items and enduring favorites,” said the hotel spokesperson.

Some of the newest fondants and fondues include durian pavlovas, durian cream cheeses, durian fritters – and those with a sweet tooth are invited to waste a few hours at the fiesta.

Durian coffee in Malaysia

Malaysia is also home to a stinky fruit trend: instant durian coffee, a local controversy that falls somewhere between tourist trap and regional delicacy.

The country also aims to promote its durian varieties, including a red-fleshed type grown in Borneo, the island shared with Brunei and Indonesia where producers hold durian-themed trade and tourism fairs.

Malaysia began sending fresh durian to China in mid-2024 following a bilateral ceremony marking 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Producers hope to reach a $500 million market share in China by the end of the decade, almost twenty times the value of frozen durian exported there in 2018, based on the popularity of the Musang King variant, which can sometimes sell for as much as $80.