As the popularity of durians surges in China, many Chinese entrepreneurs are following the trend by expanding durian plantations in Laos. Vietnamese investors are also capitalizing on this opportunity, leveraging their geographic proximity to Laos to establish their own plantations.

Mekong Eye and the Pulitzer Center's Rainforest Investigations Network have determined the country’s forest area is decreasing through an analysis of satellite imagery, on-the-ground observations, local testimonials, social media posts and public documents.

A satellite image from December 2024 reveals the expansion of the Jin Yao plantation in the Sanamxay district of Attapeu province.

In the same district, a large-scale plantation is emerging, owned by another Chinese company, Jianda, based in Sichuan and well-known among Chinese consumers for its golden bananas.

Meanwhile, the Vietnamese company Thaco Group operates a banana and durian plantation in the Phouvong district of Attapeu province.

Another Vietnamese company, Hoang Anh Gia Lai, has secured a long-term land lease from the Lao government and has initiated banana and durian plantations in the Saysettha district of Attapeu province.

Many of these plantations are nestled near southern Laos’s biodiverse primary forests, including Dong Hua Sao and Xe Pian—two of the country’s most important National Biodiversity Conservation Areas and key parts of a global eco-region—which already face threats from logging and cassava farming.

The conversion of forests to farmland typically starts with cassava being planted as a cover crop, followed by banana plantations, and eventually transitioning to long-term investments in durian cultivation.

The expansion of plantations by both Chinese and Vietnamese agro-investors is driven by the anticipation of increasing fruit demand in mainland China. This growth is expected to bring them significant profits, aided by the low costs of securing land and accessing cheap labor in Laos.