China Customs Releases Authorized Exporter List for Fresh Malaysian Durians

On Aug. 9, China’s General Administration of Customs published via its website its list of Malaysian companies approved to export fresh durians to China. The list includes 33 companies with a total annual production capacity of 17,685 metric tons. Among these, Top Fruits and Du-Fresh have the most registered subsidiaries, with five and three subsidiaries passing customs inspection, respectively. All of these subsidiaries are located in the southern state of Johor.

Top Fruits was one of the first Malaysian fruit companies to export durian pulp and flesh. Currently, 80% of its business is oriented toward exporting to foreign markets, with China accounting for 60% of total exports.

Top Fruits also specializes in the cultivation of durians and various other tropical fruits, with over 30 years of expertise across approximately 500 acres of farmland. The company’s durian orchards are known for using organic fertilizers and have earned certification under the Malaysian Good Agricultural Practices (MyGAP) scheme. The company’s durian trees, which are over 20 years old, include a rich assortment of cultivars such as Musang King (D197), Black Thorn (D200), Golden Phoenix (D198), Ganghai (D208), Golden Bun (D13), Sultan King (D24), 101 (D168) and D88.

Malaysia began exporting frozen durian pulp products to China as early as 2011. In 2018, the country received approval to export frozen whole durians to China, with shipments officially commencing in May 2019. On June 24 of this year, fresh Malaysian durians were finally granted China market access.

With the official release of the authorized exporter list, Malaysia’s fresh durian exports to China are set to begin. According to earlier reports, the fresh durians will be exported to China via air and sea, using a packaging solution designed to keep the fruit fresh for 7–21 days.

Malaysia boasts a diverse range of durian cultivars, with over 220 registered varieties. The most famous variety on the Chinese market is Musang King. However, its slightly bitter taste has somewhat limited its appeal in China. Meanwhile, the sweeter Black Thorn variety has become increasingly popular among Chinese consumers in recent years, leading many Malaysian growers to focus more on the cultivation of this variety.

In 2022, Malaysia’s durian production reached 455,458 metric tons, a figure that is projected to increase to 505,853 metric tons by 2025. At present, Black Thorn durians make up only 1% of Malaysia’s total durian output, while Musang King durians account for 36%, D24 durians represent 11%, and unregistered native and wild Kampung durians — most commonly consumed domestically in Malaysia — constitute 38%.

Image: Pixabay

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article.