Production of durian in Indonesia 2014-2023

In 2023, it was estimated that Indonesia produced about 1.83 million metric tons of durian. Durian, “The King of Fruit”, is native to Southeast Asia and Borneo is generally accepted as the original geographic origin of durian trees. Once a minor crop, durian is now an essential tropical fruit crop in Southeast Asia.

Durian cultivation in Indonesia

Durian cultivation in Indonesia has been exclusively carried out by small farmers throughout all provinces, with a variety of cultivars and tastes. Despite its native origin in Borneo, durian has also been heavily produced on Java Island for decades. East, West, and Central Java provinces are the country's top durian producers today. As durian is a seasonal fruit, agricultural tourism has become an essential means of survival for many small farms before the harvest seasons. Several durian farms in Indonesia offer agritourism activities where visitors can learn about durian trees, pick their own fruits, and stay overnight on the farm.

Local durians vs import durians

According to the Indonesian government, Indonesia is the largest durian producer in the world. Nevertheless, it used to be a net importer of durian for decades. Monthong durian from Thailand and Musang King durian from Malaysia were more popular and arguably easier to find than local durians despite their higher prices. To boost domestic production and exports, the Indonesian government has restricted durian imports and simplified its complicated export procedures since 2013. As a result, Indonesia has gained local durian surplus since 2018 up until now.