China to import Malaysian frozen durians worth RM2 million a month

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NANNING,China: Malaysia is expected to export up to four containers of frozen durians worth RM2 million a month to China following the introduction of the MiTrace Traceability System.

Ong (fourth right) giving the thumbs up after launching the Malaysian Frozen Durian MiTrace Live Export in China. Also present are Dzulkifli (fourth, left), director of Matrade Ong Yew Chee (second right) and Matrade Trade Commissioner for Guangzhou Suresh Kumar Palasanthiran (right). — Bernama photo

“The first container of frozen durians valued at RM500,000 is expected to arrive in Nanning by next week,” said the Prime Minister’s special envoy to China Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting, adding other containers would reach Guangzhou and Shanghai by the end of next month.

Speaking to Malaysian journalists here after launching the Malaysian Frozen Durian MiTrace Live Export in China here on Tuesday, Ong said the MiTrace system would enable Chinese consumers to trace the origin of the durian, which they  regard as the king of Malaysian fruits and a premium product.

“Every safety label on the exported frozen durian boxes consist of a unique code, they can check the purity and the originality of the product by using a QR code,” he added.

The MiTrace system has been approved by the Agriculture Quarantine Service Inspection of China (AQSIC).

Meanwhile, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) deputy chief executive officer Datuk Dzulkifli Mahmud said frozen durians have received an overwhelming response from the Chinese.

“The Chinese consumers prefer Malaysian frozen durians to Thailand’s as the frozen durians exported from Malaysia are made up of D24 and Musang King,” he said.

He expressed confidence that demand for the products in the China market would increase by 10 per cent with the introduction of the MiTrace system, pointing out that exports had risen to RM1.6 million in 2012 from RM1.1 million in the previous year. — Bernama