Malaysia’s durian industry stung by low prices as coronavirus outbreak affects demand from China

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SINGAPORE: The prices of durians in Malaysia have dipped over the last fortnight as demand from China fell following the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Malaysian farmers who export durians to China, told CNA on Thursday that disruptions to China’s logistics industry, city lockdowns and changes in consumer tastes due to the outbreak have slowed orders.Mr Andy Tan, a durian farmer in Segamat, Johor, who exports whole fruits and frozen durian paste to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Qingdao, said prices of his durians have dropped by at least 50 per cent.

He currently has some excess durians in his farm and is looking to sell them locally or export them to Singapore. The thorny fruits are an important agricultural export for Malaysia, with the total durian export accounting for 6.8 per cent of the durian production in the country. However, the coronavirus has now unexpectedly affected the durian industry, as the outbreak claimed the lives ofDurian expert Lim Chin Khee said the prices of the highest grade Musang King variant has dropped from RM60 to RM30 per kg in Raub, Pahang.

He added that Chinese companies were also importing less because locals in mainland China have “no mood to eat” durians given widespread anxiety over the virus. “Most of our visitors are Chinese tour groups anyway, so we might as well close shop until the virus stops spreading,” Mr Kung said.

 

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Durians are the Spiked Mace of fruits, you'll get head trauma and severe flesh tearing.

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