Feature: China corners all durian produce from Thailand

Because of the rising demand by China for Thai durian, the Thai government has encouraged growers, particularly in eastern province of Chantaburi, to harvest more this year and in the incoming year, according to a senior Thai official.

In an interview with Xinhua, Chantaburi Provincial Governor Samart Loyfa said that he is confident Chantaburi, the country's largest durian growing area, would be able to harvest a sizeable increase next year since up to 80 percent of the fruit produced so far this year has already been destined for export,mostly to China.

Given the fact that Chantaburi has produced an estimated 230, 000 tons of fresh durian this year, marking a drop by about 20,000 tons compared to that of last year, the province's agricultural department and farmers have vowed to increase the harvest of durian fruits to surpass that of last year, Samart said.

Durian, oftentimes referred to as the "fruit of the Gods," is a succulent fruit indigenous only to Thailand, Malaysia, and the southern Philippines. The fruit has a heavy pungent smell. One wag said that durian "smells like hell but tastes like heaven."

About 55 Chinese traders have already offered to buy fresh durian from Chantaburi in a range of 1.6 U.S. dollars to 1.9 U.S. dollars a kilogram, according to the provincial governor.

Besides orders for this year's deliveries, the Chinese traders have also begun placing future orders for next year's crop of Chantaburi's durian, he added.

The provincial governor made his comments following a recent visit to eastern provinces of Chachoengsao, Srakaew, Rayong and Chantaburi by Chinese ambassador to Thailand Ning Fukui.

Samart said that prospects of durian export, especially to China, are highly promising, given this year's big orders from China. "We'll see to it that as much crop, if not more, of our durian will be harvested for export this year and next year," he said.

According to Samart, the Chinese market is certainly the biggest for durian growers of Chantaburi, where Thailand's best durian is produced.

He said that aside from the fresh durian, Thailand is now exporting dried and crispy durian, which is the favorite snack of some foreigners, including Chinese.

Chinese traders looking for durian come from as far as Shandong Province in eastern China. The fresh fruit is shipped via Laem Chabang port and Hong Kong, he said.

In addition, Chantaburi also produces the longan variety with all the produce from the region now already bound for export to China at an average price of 1.4 U.S. dollars per kilo.

The eastern Thai province has produced an estimated 125,000 tons of longan for the Chinese market, bringing some 242 million U. S. dollars in earnings. Endi