A durian planting base in the Yucai Ecological Zone, Sanya. [Photo/Sanya Daily]

Sanya in Hainan province, as the main production area for domestic durians, ushered in its durian harvesting period in July.

Hainan is the only tropical island province in China with climate conditions similar to durian-producing countries such as Thailand and Malaysia.

The province has been making many efforts to develop its durian cultivation sector. In 2019, about 44 durian trees bore fruit for the first time since they were planted in Hainan.

In recent years, thanks to the joint efforts and exploration by Hainan's scientific research team and several enterprises, durian cultivation has made significant progress.

With advanced technology and equipment, Sanya's durian planting bases were able to automate its water distribution, fertilizer management, meteorological monitoring and pest control systems.

According to the data provided by the Hainan Academy of Agricultural Science, the area of durian trees that can blossom and bear fruit in Hainan this year is about 2,000 mu (133 hectares), with an expected output of 50 metric tons.

The customs statistics show that China annually imports approximately 800,000 tons of durian. So even after a few years of accelerated development, it is unlikely that domestic durians will meet domestic market demands.

Hainan's scientific research institutes and enterprises have established a living germplasm resource gene pool for durian seedlings. Over the next few years, durian varieties with Hainan's independent intellectual property rights are expected to emerge.