Malaysia fetches $5.5M from fresh durian exports to China

A total of 413.6 metric tonnes of fresh durian were shipped, with the first batch exported in the end of August, according recent data from the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry as cited by The Star.

This picture taken on April 26, 2022 shows a worker showing durian fruit at the Top Fruit durian farm in Batu Pahat in Malaysia's Johor state. Photo by AFP

Malaysia was granted permission to export fresh durians to China in June last year under a phytosanitary protocol. Before that Malaysia only exported frozen pulp and fruits.

Malaysian durians are currently available in 16 regions in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Tianjin and Chengdu, and the exports are regarded as premium there, Deputy Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup said in response to a question by a Member of Parliament.

Its current production, however, is insufficient to meet China’s demand. The supply of fresh durians is limited to the harvesting seasons, usually twice a year, he added.

To preserve quality, Malaysian exporters ship the fruit through air in refrigerated conditions within three to four days, which leads to higher shipping costs, he said.

Vietnamese and Thai exporters, meanwhile, harvest their fruits before ripening of up to 25 days.

China imported a record US$6.99 billion worth of durian last year, up 4.1% from 2023.

Its top supplier was Thailand, followed by Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines.