Vietnamese durian farmers face thorny issues that could threaten growing demand from China

HANOI: As Southeast Asia battles heatwaves and drought, Vietnam ese farmers of the “king of tropical fruits” are increasingly concerned about lower quality of their harvests to feed a growing number of Chinese consumers.

It managed to put a dent in Thailand’s dominance as the largest durian exporter to China for more than a decade. In recent years, changing weather patterns and worsening saltwater intrusion there have threatened durian farms in the region.Mr Nghia was among the first to import Monthong durian trees from Thailand more than two decades ago to grow in Vietnam’s southern Tien Giang province, located along the banks of the Mekong River. The region has now become a main hub of Vietnam’s durian production.

“There is a significant drop this year in the water flow coming down to the Mekong delta because of upstream reservoirs and dams in China, Thailand and Laos,” Dr Tran Ba Hoang, director of the Vietnam Southern Institute for Water Resources, told CNA.Vietnamese authorities are scrambling to expand networks of sluice gates and irrigation systems on the tributaries of the Mekong River to keep out saltwater.

A Tien Giang resident told CNA that her son waited four hours from 11pm to 3am the next day in a queue to get water.Vietnamese farmers have also been rapidly expanding durian farms due to its high economic values, raising concerns among agricultural authorities.

China Durians Climate Change Mekong River

Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Cambodia says it will cut shipping through Vietnam by 70% with new China-funded Mekong canalPHNOM PENH/HANOI — Cambodia plans to cut shipping through Vietnamese ports by 70 per cent as a result of a US$1.7 billion (S$2.29 billion) China-funded upgrade of a canal connecting the Mekong River basin to the Cambodian coast, the country's deputy prime minister told Reuters.
Source: asiaonecom - 🏆 10. / 59 Read more »

As US hikes China tariffs, imports soar from China-reliant VietnamHANOI - As the United States intensifies efforts to reduce trade with China by hiking tariffs, it has greatly boosted imports from Vietnam, which relies on Chinese input for much of its exports, data show.
Source: straits_times - 🏆 5. / 69 Read more »

Vietnamese woman charged over extortion scheme which used doctored photosPolice received more than 170 reports of victims who had received extortion letters between March and April 2024
Source: straits_times - 🏆 5. / 69 Read more »

Vietnamese proprietor of Bugis minimart fined $7,500 for possessing, selling illegal meat productsThe sole proprietor of Hong Trang Nguyen Vietnam Minimart in Bugis was fined $7,500 by the court on April 29 for illegally possessing and selling meat products.
Source: stompsingapore - 🏆 11. / 53 Read more »

Philippines denies deal with China over disputed South China Sea shoalThe Philippines denied a Chinese claim that the countries had reached an agreement.
Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »

Philippines denies deal with China over disputed South China Sea shoalA spokesperson at China's embassy in Manila said on Apr 18 that the Philippines and China had agreed early this year to a "new model" in managing tensions at the Second Thomas Shoal, something Manila rejects.
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »