Vietnam Fruit Export Season Calendar: Durian, Lychee, and Longan

Vietnam's three major export fruits run on different, mostly non-overlapping harvest windows: lychee (vải) peaks late May through June in the north, longan (nhãn) has a main northern crop around July–September plus a near year-round southern supply from induced flowering in the Mekong Delta, and durian (sầu riêng) harvests roughly March–May in the Mekong Delta and August–October in the Central Highlands — meaning at least one of the three is typically in-season somewhere in the country for most of the year. Exact dates shift year to year with weather, so treat these as planning windows to confirm with your supplier, not fixed calendar dates.

Why season matters more for these three than for most commodities

Unlike a manufactured product, a harvest-dependent crop genuinely isn't available — or is available at a steep price and quality penalty — outside its window. B2B buyers who lock in supply agreements before the season starts get better pricing and priority allocation; buyers who wait until they need product often find sellers already committed to earlier contracts, or paying premium off-season prices for cold-stored or imported-from-elsewhere stock of uncertain quality.

Lychee (vải thiều)

• Main season: late May through late June, with the well-known Bac Giang and Hai Duong growing regions in northern Vietnam as the primary export source.
• Order timing: because the window is short (roughly 4–6 weeks) and demand spikes hard during it, buyers sourcing meaningful volume should confirm allocation with suppliers 1–2 months before season start, not once fruit is already on trees.
• What to specify: lychee is typically exported fresh (short shelf life, air freight or fast reefer sea freight for further markets) or processed (canned, frozen, dried) for longer shelf-life buyers — confirm which form you need, since it changes the supplier pool significantly.

Longan (nhãn)

• Main season: the traditional northern crop (Hung Yen and surrounding provinces) runs roughly July–September. Southern growers in the Mekong Delta (Dong Thap, Vinh Long, Tien Giang) use flower-induction techniques to produce a second, often near-continuous supply outside the main season, so longan is the most consistently available of the three fruits year-round.
• Order timing: if you need main-season northern longan specifically (often preferred for certain processing/export specs), confirm with suppliers by early-to-mid year; for southern induced-season supply, lead times are generally more flexible.
• What to specify: fresh longan for direct consumption versus dried longan (long nhãn) for the traditional-medicine and food-ingredient export markets are very different products with different buyer pools — be explicit about which you're sourcing.

Durian (sầu riêng)

• Mekong Delta (south): main harvest roughly March–May, with some regions producing a secondary crop later in the year via flower induction.
• Central Highlands (Dak Lak and surrounding provinces): main harvest roughly August–October — meaningfully later than the south, which is a structural advantage for buyers wanting durian supply after the southern season winds down.
• Order timing: durian is typically pre-sold before or early in harvest given high demand (particularly for export-grade fruit meeting size and ripeness specifications) — buyers who wait until mid-season to start sourcing often find the best specification-grade fruit already allocated.
• What to specify: variety matters significantly for export buyers (Ri6 and Monthong are common export varieties from Vietnam) — confirm variety, not just "durian," since pricing and buyer preference differ substantially between them.

Practical takeaway: build your sourcing calendar around these windows

If your business depends on consistent supply of any of these three fruits, the highest-leverage sourcing decision isn't finding a better price mid-season — it's confirming allocation with a verified supplier before the window opens. Reach out to sellers with a season badge showing current availability, or check listed season windows directly on the product page before submitting an RFQ, so you're not requesting a quote for fruit that's still months from harvest.

FAQ

When does Vietnamese lychee season start?

Typically late May, running through late June — a roughly 4–6 week window, primarily from the Bac Giang and Hai Duong growing regions.

Is longan available year-round from Vietnam?

Largely yes, though the traditional main season (July–September) comes from northern growers, while southern Mekong Delta growers use flower induction to supply through much of the rest of the year.

Why does Central Highlands durian harvest later than Mekong Delta durian?

The regions have different climates and growing seasons — Mekong Delta durian typically harvests March–May, while Central Highlands durian (notably Dak Lak) harvests roughly August–October, giving buyers a longer combined supply window across the two regions.

How far in advance should I contact a supplier before durian season?

Ideally before the season opens, since export-grade fruit meeting size and ripeness specifications is often pre-sold early in high-demand seasons — waiting until mid-season risks the best-graded fruit already being allocated to earlier buyers.