Vietnamese Durian: From Billion-Dollar Star To Sharp Decline Due To Heavy Metals

2024 – A booming year for Vietnamese durian exports!

Over 918,000 tons exported - Valued at USD 3.2 billion – up 43% from 2023

China accounted for 91% of Vietnam’s total durian export value

But in just Q1 of 2025, the dream turned into a crisis:

Export value plunged to USD 130 million, down 74% year-on-year

The main reason? Cadmium residue exceeding safety limits in many shipments

CADMIUM – The invisible threat to Vietnamese durians

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal – a known carcinogen that damages the liver and kidneys.

China’s threshold for cadmium in fruit: ≤ 0.05 mg/kg

Some Vietnamese durian samples exceeded this limit by 2–3 times.

What caused the cadmium spike?

High-cadmium DAP fertilizer: Some DAP imported from Korea contained up to 28 mg/kg of cadmium

That’s more than double Vietnam’s legal limit of 12 mg/kg

Naturally contaminated soil + low pH: Acidic soils in areas like Đak Lak and Tien Giang help cadmium leach into the fruit more easily

Lack of residue testing and quality control: Many growing areas lack soil testing, post-harvest checks, or traceability systems

In early 2025, 18 growing zones and 15 packing facilities had their export codes revoked by China

Consequences for the industry:

Huge financial losses for farmers and exporters

Vietnam risks losing access to its largest market – China

Export reputation damaged in global trade channels

Thousands of tons of durian rerouted back to domestic market at low prices

What must be done?

Ban or strictly regulate high-cadmium fertilizers

Require fruit residue testing before export

Raise soil pH, use organic alternatives to DAP

Improve traceability – connect farmers, labs, exporters

Build regional cadmium testing labs in key production zones