Global impact of Vietnamese farmers' decision to grow durian rather than coffee

China is importing more and more durians, and Vietnam is exporting more and more durians to China. Many Vietnamese farmers have chosen to grow durians rather than other crops, such as coffee. 

 

Between 2023 and 2024, Vietnamese durian exports to China almost doubled. Vietnamese durian production has therefore increased, but at the expense of coffee production. Vietnam is a major producer of Robusta coffee beans. In June 2024, compared with June 2023, according to the International Coffee Organization, Vietnamese Robusta coffee exports fell by 50%.

 

The world coffee market is now tense. Other exporting countries such as Colombia, Ethiopia, Peru and Uganda have not produced enough to compensate for the missing volumes. Analysts believe that prices are high and set to rise further.

 

The choice made by Vietnamese farmers to grow durian rather than coffee is an economically justified one. Durian is up to 5 times more profitable than coffee.