The Indonesian government is preparing significant steps to boost the direct export of Indonesian durian to China. According to the Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs, Zulkifli Hasan, the durian market in China is enormous, potentially reaching up to USD 8 billion. "China is a very large market. They say the value of durian could reach USD 8 billion (IDR 128.7 trillion with an exchange rate of IDR 16,095). Currently, we can only export durian in the form of paste or flesh for ice cream," said Zulkifli, commonly known as Zulhas, following a cross-ministerial coordination meeting in Jakarta on Wednesday (December 18, 2024).

He also noted that Indonesian durian must first pass through Thailand before being exported to China, which reduces the added value for local farmers. “From Central Sulawesi, our durians go to Thailand first, then to China, which cuts down on our profit margin,” he said. As a first step, a Chinese inspection team is scheduled to visit Indonesia in January 2024 to assess the facilities and quality of Indonesian durian. The government hopes that the inspection will lead to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for direct exports. "It was delayed due to the changing season, but in January, the team from China will visit for an inspection. If all goes well, we can start exporting directly to China," he added. This plan is a significant opportunity for durian production in Indonesia, particularly in Central Sulawesi, which is the main supplier. With direct export access, local farmers are expected to gain higher profits in the global durian market.

Source:
https://rri.co.id/nasional/1199190/potensi-pasar-ekspor-durian-ke-tiongkok-rp128-triliun