In recent months, China has seen a significant drop in prices for fruits such as cherries, blueberries, and even the so-called “king of fruits,” durian. The price of Thai golden pillow durian has experienced a drastic decline, with a nearly 40% decrease, becoming a trending topic across social media platforms.
According to a report by CCTV Finance on May 27th, the wholesale market in Beijing’s Xinfadi market revealed that Thai golden pillow durian has been on the market since mid-March this year. Currently, it is the peak season with a large supply, leading to a continuous drop in prices and high sales volumes.
Tong Wei, the Director of the Promotion Department of the Xinfadi Agricultural Wholesale Market in Beijing, stated that just a month ago, a box of Thai golden pillow durian was priced at around 1,100 to 1,200 yuan. Now, prices have plummeted to between 730 and 780 yuan per box, showing a significant cut in prices. The prices of Malaysian durians, which are frozen with liquid nitrogen, have also dropped by several hundred yuan per box, mainly due to the abundance of durians in the market during this season.
Market data indicates that within just 30 days, the retail price of golden pillow durian has dropped to around 20 yuan per kilogram, with some promotions even offering prices below 20 yuan.
An analysis by the well-known blogger “Alan Speaks” attributed the price drop of golden pillow durians to two main reasons: Firstly, a significant increase in supply from major production regions such as Thailand and Vietnam, combined with accelerated imports of Malaysian durians to China, has led to ample market resources. Secondly, the transportation speed has improved, with the durian cold chain transport time shortened to 26 hours, reducing costs.
The significant price drop of durians has sparked discussions among netizens, with topics related to durians gaining over 300 million views on the popular social platform Little Red Book.
Some users expressed excitement over the newfound “durian freedom,” with comments like, “Finally, we can enjoy durians freely! Time to stock up and make durian ice cream this summer!”
However, there were also dissenting voices among netizens regarding the sharp drop in durian prices.
A user from Fujian, “Cool Breeze Waiting,” questioned why there was no price reduction in their area.
Additionally, some netizens commented that even with the lowered prices, they still couldn’t afford durians.
A user from Shanxi, “Occupying Trust QQ,” highlighted the phenomenon of consumer downgrading, particularly in luxury fruit, restaurants, and other luxury industries, stating that apart from essential expenses, people are cutting back on non-essential spending.
Meanwhile, a user from Zhejiang, “Finally Snatching 2e,” emphasized the importance of prioritizing meals amidst the changing economic landscape.