First Chinese-grown 'king of fruits' hits market
Experts check durian at a planting base in Sanya, Hainan Province, in June 2023.
China's home-grown durian has finally hit the market, but the small planting acreage and the high price mean it might still take some time for Chinese consumers to have unrestricted feasting on the tropical fruit.
Around 40 tons of durian were harvested in the southernmost island province of Hainan, China's first large-scale domestic durian harvest following years of cultivation, China Central Television reported today.
The endeavor is to meet a growing demand for what has become one of China's most popular imported fruits, which is native to Southeast Asia.
Chinese consume an almost whopping 1 million tons of durian each year with the huge market currently solely dependent on imports, mainly from Thailand.
The domestically planted durian is priced at around 120 yuan (US$16.77) per kilogram, more than tripling the cost of those from Thailand.
Hainan durian is harvested after it ripens on the tree, thus featuring a more intense sweetness and a stronger aroma.
A dealer said that although the price is higher, the market would buy the local fruit because of its high quality.
The domestic planting of durian aims for higher quality rather than quantity, due to a limited available planting area, said Feng Xuejie, director of the Institute of Tropical Fruit Research under the Academy of Agriculture in Hainan Province.
