May-June , 2022 | @ Forest
COVER STORY
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Durio Dulcis , a durian species .
Durian flower buds on a durian tree .
In his six-acre orchard in Kelantan , Aziz has amassed variety of durian and other local fruit trees . followed by Malaysia and Indonesia . Each year , Thailand produces over 700,000 tonnes of durian , with approximately 500,000 tonnes exported to mainland China and Hong Kong . Every year , Malaysia exports about 300,000 tonnes of durian to China .
Malaysian durian farmers and producers have a lot of export potential because of the high demand from the Chinese market . Malaysian durian exports climbed by 107 per cent from RM69.9 million to RM144.7 million between 2016 and 2020 .
Now a durian plantation consultant , Aziz holds seminars and consultations for durian farmers on durian planting and management . He has also published a book on durian orchard management .
Aziz opined Malaysia has the most excellent grade and quality of the signature Musang King variant . If the quality is well maintained and established , Malaysia can export exclusively for the premium durian market .
Research and regulatory
Despite the durian industry ’ s size and profitability , Aziz laments the lack of a regulatory board to oversee and regulate it .
“ Unlike the Malaysia Cocoa Board ( MCB ) or the Malaysia Palm Oil Board ( MPOB ), there isn ’ t a Malaysia Durian Board to oversee and coordinate all activities related to the durian industry , including licencing and registration , plantation , standards , research , funding , and even export .
“ Because the durian industry is a huge business , we need a regulation and standard to assure the commodity ’ s quality , safety , security , and traceability , as well as to protect the interests of the local durian industry , investors , smallholders , and plantations .”
“ It ’ s a long way to go , but I ’ m confident we ’ ll make it . I was just appointed to a SIRIM committee to develop a standard and quality grading system for durian export .”
He hopes that relevant parties will initiate the formation of a regulatory body shortly . He also expects the government and commercial sector to invest in and promote durian research and seedling gathering to preserve the diverse species and clones of durian .
“ In the 1980s and 1990s , several kinds of research were dedicated to durian fruit , agriculture and cultivation . However , now there are only one or two researchers left researching durian .”
To improve the efficiency , productivity , and quality of durian farming , he emphasised further research on applied durian farming and plantation management is needed . — @ Forest
Some of the varieties of durians from his orchard .
Aziz hosts friends and the general public in his orchard for tasting and sampling .
The durian kura-kura variant , native to Borneo , which grows fruit at the trunk of the tree .