Preah Vihear Durians Break into Chinese Market
Poeung Tryda, director of Preah Vihear Provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, said he was happy to receive the news of the first export of durian to the Chinese market. Photo: Peng Trida
- By Chhum Chantha
- July 15, 2022 5:37 PM
PHNOM PENH – The first 50-tonne batch of frozen durian has been exported to China from a Preah Vihear grower under a pilot scheme. A further 70 tonnes will be exported shortly.
TKY Farm Khmer Durian is a well-known grower with a production capacity of more than 300 tonnes per year.
Yi Sinath, CEO of TKY Farm, said he had long dreamed of exporting durian to China. Recently, his company was awarded the right to export 120 tonnes of Manthong frozen durian to China through other partners.
“Every year we sell the durians only locally and this is the first year that we have exported to China,” he said.
“Our neighboring countries have been exporting to China for a long time, so our dream is to export to China as well, to let them taste Khmer durian. It is also the pride of our Khmer people.”
He said the Chinese side is very satisfied with the taste of Manthong and had urged him to increase exports to 500 tonnes next year.
“According to our partners, they want us to supply more, and we will try to do what we want as well,” Sinath said.
Poeung Tryda, director of Preah Vihear Provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, said he was happy to receive the news of the first export of durian to the Chinese market.
Preah Vihear durian has a delicious taste, a lot of meat, small seeds and thin skin, which attracts orders from the Chinese side, he said.
“We are very pleased with TKY Farm for resolving the issue of durian export marketing. This is a good point to find opportunities to export abroad,” Trida said.
However, Cambodia and China have no agreement yet about the export of durians.
Chhim Vachira, director of the Battambang Provincial Department of Agriculture, previously said China was interested in importing durians grown in Samlot district in Battambang province.
The fruit will be exported through Thailand and under a Thai brand name since there is no agreement between Cambodia and China.
TKY Farm declined to say whether its durian will be exported under a Thai or Cambodian brand name.
TKY Farm has been cultivating durian for eight years on 200 hectares in Ou Pour village. The company has 16,000 durian trees, of which only 4,000 are for harvesting. Next year about 2,000 new trees can be harvested.
Minister of Agriculture Veng Sakhon has instructed the General Department of Agriculture to study the phytosanitary requirements of the Chinese market, and especially to liaise with the General Administration of Customs of China regarding the preparation, procedures, and documents – technical and legal – to export durians directly to China.
According to 2021 data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, there are 5,289 hectares of durian plantations in the country with 3,403 hectares being harvested and yielding about 36,656 tonnes of durians per year.
