Vietnamese coffee farmers ride China's durian wave
Farmers in Vietnam's Central Highlands are increasingly replacing coffee crops with durian to capitalize on surging demand from China. This shift has significantly boosted farmer incomes, though it marks a departure from the region's traditional agricultural focus.
Why it matters
The trend illustrates the massive economic impact of Chinese consumer demand on Southeast Asian agricultural markets and supply chains.
DAK LAK, Vietnam: Vietnam's Central Highlands produces around one sixth of the world's coffee, but farmers are switching their traditional crop for durian to cash in on surging Chinese demand for the pungent "king of fruits".
"You can live okay with coffee, but it's durian that makes you rich," said Pham Xuan Lan, as he showed AFP journalists around his farm.
Blessed with a tropical climate and rich basalt soil, the lush Central Highlands produces vast quantities of robusta beans, and Vietnam trails only Brazil in coffee output.
But the area dedicated to durian has soared more than fivefold to 200,000 hectares nationwide over the past decade, according to the agriculture ministry.
Vietnam only officially entered the Chinese durian market after a 2022 trade protocol but last year became the country's biggest supplier by volume, ending Thailand's near two-decade dominance.
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