🎣 Opening
Hello and welcome to The Southeast Asia Desk Weekly Dispatch Podcast. I’m Akasha Viandri, this is where we slow down the headlines and make sense of the stories shaping our Southeast Asia Region.
In this episode, we’re talking about durian.
And whenever durian comes up, there are usually two reactions:
One group immediately imagines having it for dessert tonight.
The other raises an eyebrow… just thinking about the smell.
Love it or hate it, durian is often called the king of fruits because of its size, its strong odour, and its thorn-covered rind.
But it seems the king is claiming more than just a title.
It’s showing its power becoming a regional economic force.
🤔 What’s Happening?
Durian has stepped onto the global stage.
Demand is surging, especially in China, where the import market has reached around 7 billion dollar.
It turns out the obsession is real.
So real, in fact, that companies are turning durian into almost everything.
For example, IKEA Hong Kong now offers durian croissants and ice cream.
Pizza Hut China even launched durian pizzas in 2024.
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Croissants and ice cream? Fine.
But pizza? Well… apparently it works.
Pizza Hut reportedly sold 30 million durian pizzas. So maybe it’s worth a try.
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🌏 Regional Players
As the world’s durian powerhouse, Southeast Asia isn’t wasting the opportunity.
🇹🇭 Thailand still holds the top position as the region’s largest exporter,
with exports reaching around 4 billion dollars last year.
🇻🇳 Vietnam is close behind, shipping about 3.44 billion dollars’ worth of durians in 2025.
It’s now almost a 🇹🇭 Thailand versus 🇻🇳 Vietnam competition for dominance in 🇨🇳 China’s durian market.
🇱🇦 Laos plans to export 400 tons in 2026, leveraging its fertile land and the Laos–China Railway for faster delivery.
🇵🇭 The Philippines entered fresh durian exports to 🇨🇳 China in 2023. Still small, but growing.
And then there’s 🇲🇾 Malaysia playing a slightly different game.
DurianBB, a Malaysian brand, not only exports durian to 🇨🇳 China, but also builds tourism attractions around it.
One example is DurianBB Park in 🇲🇾 Kuala Lumpur, a mini durian theme park.
And around 50 percent of its visitors come from 🇨🇳 China.
🪙 Two Sides of The Coin
But every boom has its complications.
In 🇻🇳 Vietnam, some farmers are cutting down coffee plants to make room for durian.
In 🇹🇭 Thailand, durian orchard acreage has doubled over the past decade.
In 🇲🇾 Malaysia, hills near Raub have been cleared and terraced to meet growing demand from China.
With so much money at stake, the race to plant more trees has also sparked tensions and land disputes.
Yet on the other hand, for many farmers, durian has become a fortune. Some have seen dramatic changes in their lives.
According to an interview with The New York Times, one Malaysian farmer, Mr. Chan, said that durian farmers now can rebuild their houses from wood to brick and are able to send their children overseas for university.
There are always two sides to a story.
❤️ Closing
So beyond your love for durian or your dislike of its smell and taste, this humble, spiky fruit is no longer just a street-side snack.
It’s an agricultural heavyweight that is powerful enough to move regional economies.
The king of fruits, it seems, now rules beyond the orchard.
I’m Akasha Viandri, and this has been The Southeast Asia Desk Weekly Dispatch Podcast, where we slow down the noise and follow the region’s compass.
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our newsletter at thesoutheastasiadesk.com and join us again next weekend for stories to linger over, one weekend at a time.
