Black Thorn durian gaining popularity in Vietnam despite high prices

Black Thorn durian in the Mekong Delta. Photo by VnExpress/Manh Khuong

Farmers grow it in the Mekong Delta and their trees have borne fruits this harvest season.

The most expensive durian variety in Vietnam costs nine times the price of Ri6 and 2.5 times that of Musang King, another premium variety originating in Malaysia.

A woman named Loan in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 5 said she recently paid VND5.6 million for three Black Thorn durians weighing a total seven kilograms.

“It has a thin rind and a lot of flesh that is really delicious and soft.”

Lan in Hanoi said: “I’ve waited for one week now to buy two Black Thorn fruits.”

But since it is a recent entrant, there is not much Black Thorn grown in Vietnam yet.

A farm could only supply 50-100 kg at a time, and that is not enough to meet demand, fruit sellers said.

As the first to grow the variety, Thuc in the delta’s Ben Tre Province said he has been growing it since 2019 and now has around 20 trees.

This season each would produce 60 kg of fruits on average, he said.

“I’m about to harvest 200 kg of them but cannot meet the demand. This variety grows well in the Mekong Delta and so we will grow more of it.”

Black Thorn durian fruits in Can Tho City. Photo by VnExpress/Manh Khuong

He sells the durians at VND450,000-500,000 per kilogram at his farm.

In Can Tho too farmers are growing Black Thorn.

Trader Dang Mang Khuong said the variety is better than Musang King since it weighs 1.5-3kg each and has four or five locules each.

Farmers also said Black Thorn has a faster growth rate compared to Ri6 and some other varieties.

A tree starts to fruit after two to three years, they added.