Malaysia bets on durian as China goes bananas for 'world’s smelliest fruit'

Promoters work at a booth of Musang King durians at the Malaysia Durian Festival in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China November 4, 2017. Picture taken November 4, 2017. REUTERS/Stringer

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): The stinky, spiky durian is set to become Malaysia’s next major export as the South-East Asian nation rushes to develop thousands of acres to cash in on unprecedented demand for the fruit from China.

Once planted in family orchards and small-scale farms, the durian, described by some as smelling like an open sewer or turpentine when ripe, is attracting investments like never before. Even property tycoons and companies in palm oil, Malaysia’s biggest agricultural export, are making forays into the durian business.