New China-Laos-Thailand rail cold-chain service (launched March 2026) cuts durian transport time to 3 days, enabling major supply expansion and price cuts in China—the world's largest durian market (90%+ of consumption). Thai durians dominated August 2026 wholesale prices at 28–31 yuan/kg (vs 29–39 last year), while China's total durian imports hit 1.45M tonnes in Jan–July 2026 (+45% YoY). Thailand exported $4.55B worth Jan–July, over 75% of global durian shipments by value. Expanded approved suppliers (Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos) since 2022 further boost competition and affordability.