Sending fresh durian to China hits a snag

GEORGE TOWN: Aspiring durian exporters here need to exercise patience as their applications for approved permits (APs) to send fresh durian to China will only be audited by the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) in September.

Penang agrotechnology, food security and cooperative development committee chairman Fahmi Zainol said industry players are still hopeful that the application process would be expedited.

“Previously, industry players were exporting frozen durian without husks to China.

“To export unopened fresh fruits, they are now applying for the APs to do so.

“In a recent meeting with the Agriculture Department director, I was informed that a company has applied and would be approved,” he said yesterday.

Fahmi added that at present, many local companies were exporting durian to Hong Kong as China has stricter requirements.

“China requires a certain quantity and quality before accepting the fruits.

“There needs to be enough quantity of the same ‘brand’ (type) of the fruit, but Penang farmers who have a mixed variety of durian species face difficulties in fulfilling this (requirement),” he said.

The export of fresh durian to China was among the 14 memorandums of understanding (MOUs) signed with China on June 19.

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Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup previously said the country exported frozen durian to China, but under this MOU, Malaysia will be exporting fresh (chilled) durian.

He said last year, Malaysia exported RM2bil worth of fruits, with 56% being durians.

Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority director-general Abdul Rashid Bahri had earlier said that the export of fresh durian to China using air or sea routes would depend on supply and demand from the country.

“If we ship the consignment, we estimate delivering about 10 or 20 tonnes, while for air transportation, which is quite limited, we expect to deliver a tonne,” he said.

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He added that around 70 packing centres are being audited by the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry, and more than 200 durian farms that comply with Good Agricultural Practices (myGAP) are applying for the auditing process to qualify for export.

Meanwhile, durian farmer Tan Chee Keat said he has been exporting fresh whole durian to China from eight years ago under a special approval obtained then.

He said the current government initiative on the export of fresh whole durian was now open for all farmers, and that officials from China would only audit eligible applications in September.

“Farmers and suppliers need to fulfil the protocols of the GACC and adhere to hazard analysis and critical control point (HAACP) procedures for food safety management. It is not easy and not many farms here have the capacity to do so,” he said.

Tan added that while sending fresh whole fruits by flight would shorten delivery time, it does not offer much advantage.

“It takes five days to ship the durians by sea, and about three days by air.

“However, it costs 30% more to fly the durians, and there is a higher risk of delay.

“Twice this year my shipment by flight was delayed and the fruits ended up being rejected,” said Tan, who owns the Durian Cap Kaki stall in Paya Terubong.

Another orchard owner and exporter Eric Yeap said he would observe the situation further before deciding whether to export fresh durian to China.

“It’s a tedious process and there are many requirements. For now, I plan to wait and see first,” he said.