Malaysia is seeking clearance from Thailand to export durian overland to China as it battles domestic oversupply and moves to expand its footing in the lucrative market.
Malaysian Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu said on Monday he had raised the issue with his Thai counterpart, Suriya Jungrungreangkit, and in separate talks with Chinese customs authorities. The plan was to export durian by train and truck from Malaysia through Thailand to China.
"We are currently in intensive discussions with Thailand and the GACC," he told Bernama news service on Monday. GACC stands for the General Administration of Customs of China.
Using land transport would ensure Malaysian durian was competitively priced in China, he said.
Mr Mohamad and Mr Suriya met in Malaysia last Wednesday, when they also discussed the ban on Thai shrimp imports imposed by Malaysia.
Kedah, Penang, Perak, Selangor, Johor and Pahang are key durian-producing states in Malaysia. Oversupply of the fruit has sent domestic prices plummeting, with the farm-gate price merely one ringgit (eight baht) a kilo, down from a previous high of 15 ringgit, according to Malaysian media.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim hopes to persuade China to buy more durian, to solve the problem, when he meets Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang in Beijing next month.
Malaysia plans to accelerate exports of fresh durian to China to $229 million (7.6 billion baht) in 2030 from only $5 million (166 million baht) last year, according to the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation. Thailand shipped durian worth 150 billion baht to China last year, according to the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry.
