Malaysia starts ‘luxury’ durian exports to China as Indonesia sniffs the market
- First phase of 20 tonnes of fresh durian from Malaysia has arrived in China amid growing demand for the fruit
Malaysia’s first shipment of fresh durian to the giant China market has arrived, vying for demand from eager consumers who are used to buying the spiky and pungent fruit from Thailand and Vietnam.
Deputy agriculture and food security minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup said on Saturday that exporters had begun shipping 40 tonnes of fresh durian in three phases, according to Malaysia’s national Bernama news agency.
But Malaysia, having met China’s phytosanitary requirements to ship fresh durian in June, may position itself on quality rather than quantity, said Lim Chin Khee, an adviser with the Durian Academy, an institution that trains Malaysian growers.
“Malaysian durians are considered a luxury product, and the export volume is currently smaller and more targeted towards high-end consumers,” Lim said.
The first phase of 20 tonnes reached the Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport in Henan province on Sunday, according to China’s state-backed Xinhua News Agency.
