In Malaysia, the durian harvest is experiencing delays, attributed to fluctuating weather conditions, raising concerns among retailers and exporters. With the anticipation of Malaysia gaining approval to export fresh durians to China, the world's top consumer of the fruit, the current situation has sparked anxiety. Tie Kian Chow, a durian retailer based in Johor Bahru, expressed his worries regarding the tardiness of this year's durian season, which usually spans from May to August. Despite it being mid-May, the fruits on his Johor farms have not ripened as expected.

"This year, the harvest is already behind schedule. I can only assume it's due to the strange weather these past few weeks," Chow remarked. His company, King Fruit, collaborates with other businesses to export premium durians, including the sought-after Mao Shao Wang variety, to China and Singapore. He noted that the inconsistent weather, alternating between extreme heat and rain, hampers the fruiting process, particularly of premium quality durians, raising fears of insufficient exportable produce.

Other Malaysian durian exporters echoed Chow's sentiments in conversations with CNA, pointing to the delayed peak harvest season and attributing it to unpredictable extreme weather patterns. They also voiced concerns over the potential impact on both the quantity and quality of durians, which could adversely affect Malaysia's ability to meet the export demands of the Chinese market amidst its growing appetite for the fruit.

Source - https://www.freshplaza.com