Agriculture & Food

The export of fruits is an important part of Malaysia's agricultural exports, among which durian and MD2 pineapple are particularly prominent in the Chinese market. Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) of Malaysia said that in 2023, it would open the international trade market and focus on promoting the export of fruits to China, Australia, New Zealand and other major countries.

In 2021, durian will become the main fruit commodity in Malaysia. The planting area of durian in China has reached 85280 hectares, the output is 448272 metric tons, and the export volume of international trade is 24684 tons.

There is a large demand for durian in Malaysia. Data from the Malaysian Bureau of Statistics (DoSM) showed that the per capita consumption of durian was 12.8 kg/year, and the self-sufficiency rate (SSR) reached 104%. This shows that Malaysian durian can not only meet domestic demand, but also has great export potential. In order to meet the market demand at home and abroad, MAFS will further promote the local durian planting.

Pineapple is second only to durian and also has huge international trade potential, especially MD2 pineapple with high sweetness.

In 2021, Malaysia's MD2 pineapple planting area is 16204 hectares, the output is about 375423 tons, and the export volume of international trade is about 16428 tons. Malaysia's per capita consumption of MD2 pineapple is 8.4 kg/year, and its self-sufficiency rate also reaches 104%.

In addition to durian and MD2 pineapple, Malaysia's popular Harumanis mango (sweet mango) in recent years has not been able to achieve a large number of exports. Sweet mango is native to the glass market. It is harvested only once in April and June every year. It has a strong fragrance and less fiber. It is like natural pudding, which dissolves immediately after eating. It is known as the king of mango in Malaysia. At present, the total planting area of sweet mango in Glass City is 1687 hectares, and the output is expected to be only 3600 tons in 2023.

The local purchase price of sweet mango in Malaysia can reach RM20/kg (32 yuan/kg), and the retail price can reach RM30/kg (48 yuan/kg). MAFS said that due to its high price, the initial market was mainly in Malaysia.

Other tropical fruits rich in Malaysia, such as jackfruit, papaya, watermelon, banana, mango, mango and rambutan, also have huge export potential in international trade, mainly exported to Chinese Mainland, Taiwan, China, South Korea, Singapore, Australia, the Middle East, Europe and the United States.

MAFS revealed that the draft protocol on the export of jackfruit from Malaysia to China has entered the final stage, waiting for the final signature of both sides. At the same time, Malaysia is also expanding the scale of bamboo planting in various regions to ensure that it can maintain sufficient supply after gaining access from Australia.