Thai durians reach China faster and cheaper via China-Laos Railway

Fresh Thai durians are reaching Chinese consumers faster and at lower prices, thanks to the cold-chain express via the China-Laos Railway.

On a recent morning, a freight train on the Lancang-Mekong Express Line of the China-Laos Railway, fully loaded with Thai durians, arrived at Wangjiaying West Station in Kunming, Yunnan province, after a 26-hour journey.

He Ruiqi, a staff member at the station, said that a green channel had been established for durians. After a train arrives, unloading and container transfers are completed within 90 minutes.

While some of these durians supplied the local market in Yunnan, the majority were delivered to over 30 cities across China within 48 hours via seamless rail-to-road transport.

Thai durians can now reach the Chengdu International Railway Port from the orchard in just five days via the railway, a journey that used to take seven to nine days by road or sea.

Efficient logistics and cold-chain technology have reduced fruit loss to nearly zero. This has helped lower the price of durians in the Chinese market. In Chengdu, the retail price has dropped from 70 yuan ($10.2) to about 40 yuan per kilogram.

From Jan 1 to April 26, the railway transported 50,300 metric tons of imported durians, marking a 94.2 percent increase compared with the previous year, according to China Railway Kunming Group.

With the peak durian season underway, the China-Laos Railway is projected to transport more than 200,000 tons of tropical fruit this year, according to the group.

The Chengdu port is positioning itself as a distribution center for Southeast Asian fruit, with a plan to import 20,000 tons of durians this year.