Agriculture department awaits China's nod to export fresh durians

The Agriculture Department is seeking approval from the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) to export fresh whole fruit durians to the republic.

The deputy director-general (Management and Regulatory) of the Agriculture Department, Nor Sam Alwi, stated that Malaysia hopes to obtain the approval in the following year, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations.

Currently, Malaysia is only allowed to export frozen durians in whole fruit, pulp, and paste forms to China. However, Thailand and Vietnam have both obtained approval to export fresh durians to the country.

Due to the Chinese people’s love for the fruit, China is currently the largest market for exported durians. Thailand is the main exporter of durians, so Malaysia aims to penetrate that market by exporting fresh durians. Among the varieties in high demand in China is the Musang King, and Malaysia is focusing on cultivating this variety for export. Almost 50% of the country’s durian plantations are of the Musang King variety,” said Nor Sam Alwi, the deputy director-general.

After a visit to the Kafu Group Durian Eco Farm, Nor Sam Alwi explained that the visit allowed GACC to observe the management of the durian farm, including aspects of pest and disease control and post-harvest handling.

Datuk Wong Chong Lin, the CEO of Kafu Group, stated that they are fully prepared to meet all requirements and regulations on exporting fresh durians to China if GACC approves. Currently, Kafu Group durian farms can export approximately 1,000 tonnes of frozen durians to China annually, and this quota is expected to increase if permission is granted for fresh durian exports.

– Bernama