Malaysia's durian season is in full swing as farmers in Raub County, Pahang, prune their trees and pollinate blooms, setting the stage for a quality harvest. Ninety days later, sunāripened durians load onto ships bound for consumers on the Chinese mainland, underscoring deepening trade ties between the two nations.
Over 3,500 kilometers away in Hangzhou, the innovative "Durian Lab" at West Creek Long Lake Tianjie is redefining the fruitās image. With durian-inspired creations ranging from tangyuan and mooncakes to mille crepe pastries and tiramisu, the lab showcases how a traditional favorite can be transformed into modern culinary delights.
Chinaās 2019 decision to open its market to frozen Malaysian durians marked a turning point, enabling the fruit to surpass cherries as the top imported variety. Seizing that opportunity, Malaysian company Mucha was founded in 2021 to tap into the booming e-commerce market, though the lack of standardized grading posed a significant challenge.
A breakthrough came at the sixth China International Import Expo in Shanghai in November 2023. During a forum hosted by Tongfang Weishi, the innovative "Durian Detective" system was unveiled. By employing three-dimensional, non-destructive CT scanning and artificial intelligence image recognition to evaluate 20 quality parameters ā including seed size, air pockets, and pest damage ā the system achieves an impressive accuracy exceeding 98%, a 40-fold improvement over traditional methods.
Further collaboration with the China Inspection and Traceability Group has led to the development of an end-to-end traceability system that links each fruitās journey from farm to table. Looking ahead, there are plans to extend this technology to other tropical fruits such as jackfruit and coconut, paving the way for standardized quality measures across Southeast Asiaās cross-border trade.
Mucha has also embraced innovation on the consumer front by opening its first direct retail outlet, the "Durian Lab," in Hangzhou. This move has enabled real-time monitoring of consumer preferences and rapid product development ā evidenced by a durian-infused tangyuan that sold 50,000 bags between last winter and the recent Lantern Festival.
Data shows that Malaysian frozen durian exports to the Chinese mainland surged to 1.92 billion yuan in 2023 ā seven times the volume recorded in 2018. With business volume growing more than fivefold between 2021 and 2024 and an annual growth rate exceeding 80%, the revamped trade model is paving the way for a transparent, efficient, and globally integrated agricultural future.
As the import policy expanded in 2024, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations, fresh Malaysian durians have entered the market, opening up even more opportunities for farmers. With smart agricultural machinery, sophisticated cold chain logistics, and digital innovations like blockchain-based traceability, Malaysia is poised to lead a revolution in global agricultural trade.
Reference(s):
Chinese Innovation Transforms Malaysian Durian Trade with 98% Accurate Grading
people.cn
