China's Sanya durians sell out as soon as they hit shelves

(ECNS)— Durians from Sanya are selling out as soon as they hit store shelves, according to distributors attending the 2026 Sanya Durian Festival that opened Sunday.

“Consumers have been eagerly waiting to enjoy their soft, creamy flesh and sweet flavour,” said Zhang Yan, a distributor from Suzhou, as he showed customers the flourishing fruit trees through short videos filmed at a durian plantation in Sanya’s Yucai Ecological Zone. 

Freshly cut durians are on display at the opening of the 2026 Sanya Durian Festival in the Yucai Ecological Zone, Sanya, on July 26, 2027. (Photo: China News Service/Zhang Yuehe)

The 2026 Sanya Durian Festival opened the same day under the theme “The Durians Are Ripe — Sanya Invites You to Have a Taste.”

Durian buyers and representatives from across the industry chain gathered from around the country to sample locally grown durians, tour plantations and discuss potential cooperation. 

At the plantation, six-year-old durian trees were heavy with fruit, while visitors posed for photos holding freshly harvested durians. 

The durian industry is among the specialty agricultural sectors receiving priority support in Hainan Province. The province has introduced a three-year action plan to develop the entire durian industry chain, with increased support for germplasm research, standards development, brand building and market expansion. 

Wang Jiabao, deputy director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Hainan Province, said the island’s durian industry has expanded rapidly in recent years. Hainan currently has more than 50,000 mu, or approximately 3,333 hectares, of durian plantations, of which around 15,000 mu have begun bearing fruit.

A woman poses for photos under a durian trees in the Yucai Ecological Zone, Sanya, on July 26. (Photo: China News Service/Zhang Yuehe)

Sanya is one of Hainan’s main durian-producing areas. Lang Haibo, president of the Sanya Durian Association, said the survival rate of newly planted durian trees in the city has risen to 95%, marking the industry’s entry into a new stage of large-scale development. 

"As more orchards enter their peak production period, Sanya’s overall durian output will continue to rise steadily," Lang said. 

The association will promote the standardized development of orchards, regularly organize technical exchanges and training, deepen research cooperation with institutions in China and abroad, and address gaps in the industry chain, he added. 

These efforts aim to develop Sanya into China’s leading production base for tree-ripened durians.

(By intern Wu Jingjing)