KUALA LUMPUR: Durian imports from Thailand recorded a decrease of 36.67% to 4,184.58 tonnes for the period January to June this year, compared to 6,606.86 tonnes in the same period last year.
Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin said the data thus refuted the assumption that there was a dumping of durian from a neighbouring country in the local market at the moment.
He said based on the Certificate of Compliance data through the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) e3P System, the quantity of durian imported from Thailand was only around two per cent compared to the total domestic production.
"The main challenge now stems from domestic production during the peak season from June to August, which has an impact on the excess supply," he said during an oral question and answer session at Dewan Negara on Tuesday (July 21).
He was responding to a question from Senator Niran Tan Kran on the government's steps to address the dumping of imported durian, which is alleged to be affecting the local market and the income of smallholders nationwide.
To balance the market, Chan said the ministry, through FAMA, was implementing a two-pronged strategy, namely regulating the market and implementing the Seasonal Fruits Intervention Plan 2026.
He said FAMA was targeting the purchase of 1,000 tonnes of seasonal fruits, including durian, through its operations centre this year with a total value of RM7mil.
As of July 12, Chan said FAMA had made direct purchases of 468.94 tonnes of seasonal fruits worth RM2.87mil, while indirect purchases through its network of mentored entrepreneurs reached 1,550.73 tonnes worth RM6.98mil.
Responding to a supplementary question from Senator Abdul Nasir Idris on a long-term marketing strategy, he said the ministry was exploring the potential of sending fresh Malaysian durian to China via land and sea routes, in addition to the air cargo currently used.
The move, he said, required negotiations on a new protocol with the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC) as well as scientific studies by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) and the Department of Agriculture, particularly involving post-harvest treatment.
On the rationale for setting the price of kampung durian floor at RM2.70 per kilogramme instead of RM3, Chan explained that it was aimed at helping farmers avoid greater losses due to the price drop.
He said FAMA would review the proposal to increase the floor price to RM3 per kg, including the need for additional allocations, but for now the rate remains at RM2.70 per kg. – Bernama
