MGR Online — A Cambodian official has said that Cambodian durian is capturing a growing share of the Chinese market, with major buyers shifting their sourcing from Thailand to Cambodia due to competitive prices, fruit quality, and faster overland transport routes.
Kim Pheana, spokesperson for Cambodia's Ministry of Agriculture, said that Chinese company Pechenda Fruit Production had previously imported durian from Thailand but is now exporting directly from Cambodia.
"Because Cambodia has high-quality durian, competitive prices, and more efficient logistics, the Chinese company decided to switch its sourcing and begin exporting directly from Cambodia to the Chinese market," Pheana told reporters.
The Cambodian official made these remarks at a handover ceremony for Pechenda Fruit Production's first shipment of fresh durian to China, originating from Battambang Province. The shipment consisted of three containers carrying more than 50 tonnes of goods, transported via Laos, and the company expects to export an additional approximately 200 tonnes over the next two weeks.
Reports indicate that Cambodia's durian exports to China have surged, reaching 5,738 tonnes in the first seven months of 2026 — an increase of nearly 40 times the total volume recorded in all of 2025.
Cambodia's Ministry of Agriculture attributed this growth to a new route passing through Laos, which has reduced transit time to just five days, compared with 15–20 days by sea freight.
Pheana said the route, which opened on 22 June, accounts for nearly 10% of all durian exports to China, and he called on farmers and exporters to maintain standards in order to sustain this level of growth.
Cambodia's agricultural exports generated revenue of $6.46 billion in 2025, up 7.3% year-on-year, with rice, rubber, cassava, cashew nuts, mangoes, pepper, bananas, and durian among the top revenue-earning commodities.
