Southern Thailand Begins Durian Harvest With Expected 14.5% Production Increase

According to Thai media reports, the large-scale clearing of coffee, rubber, mangosteen, rambutan and longan plantings for durian cultivation in 2019 is expected to result in a 14.5% increase in durian production in southern Thailand this year, with a projected output of 606,958 metric tons. Currently, durian cultivation in the south covers over 870,593 rai (139,295 hectares), with 622,111 rai (99,538 hectares) yielding fruit. However, prices have fallen short of expectations, with those in the eastern region dropping to 105–110 Thai baht ($3.24–3.39) per kilogram.

In some southern areas, heavy rainfall has caused 50–60% of durian flowers to drop. Additionally, some off-season durian harvest periods are expected to overlap with the rainy season, potentially impacting production. Given the many uncertainties, price trends remain difficult to predict. Southern regions are anticipated to have two durian production periods in 2025: January to March and May to December, with the peak yield occurring in July.

The expected harvest dates for durians in the 13 southern provinces are as follows:

• June 5: Phang Nga
• June 18: Chumphon, Ranong, Krabi, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang and Satun
• July 1: Songkhla
• July 20: Phatthalung
• July 23: Pattani and Yala
• July 31: Narathiwat

Other fruits in the south, such as mangosteens, rambutans and longkongs, have been severely impacted by adverse weather and extensive deforestation, resulting in significant declines in production this year. Mangosteen production is expected to total 109,697 metric tons, down 8.1%. Rambutan production is estimated at 36,334 metric tons, a decline of 9.4%. Longkong production is projected to plummet by 49.1%, reaching only 11,571 metric tons.

Image: Pixabay

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article.