With the rapid growth of market demand in China, Durian will become Malaysia's next major export commodity to China. The Malaysian government is encouraging large-scale cultivation of durian and expects durian exports to grow by 50% in 2030.
In the past, durian was mainly planted on a small scale in the form of family farms in Malaysia, but now many large enterprises, including the largest exporter of agricultural products in Malaysia, the manufacturer of palm oil, have invested in durian cultivation.
United Nations data show that China's durian imports totaled 350,000 tons last year, with a total value of $510 million, up 15% year-on-year, of which nearly 40% were imported from Thailand. Durian imports from Malaysia accounted for less than 1% of China's total imports last year. With the expansion of Durian exports to China from whole fruits to durian pulp and jam, it is expected that by 2030, Durian exports from Malaysia to China will increase from about 14,600 tons this year to 22,061 tons.
