MalayMail-June 3
This year’s three-month durian season in Penang is expected to generate more than RM1 billion in durian sales revenue this year. Penang Agrotechnology, Food Security and Cooperative Development Committee chairman Fahmi Zainol said the season this year is longer as it will start in June and is expected to last till August, which means durian sales will triple. “Last year, the durian production was 20,082 metric tons and if the value was at RM15 per kilogram, this meant the sales was RM301 million last year,” he said. He said the RM301 million was only for domestic sales and did not include durians that were exported overseas. In Penang, the total acreage of durian orchards is 1,734.24 hectares with an average production of over 20,000 metric tons annually. Fahmi said this year, the production will triple to about 60,000 metric tons because of the prolonged hot weather conditions. “We now have two new durian hybrids, Tupai King and Cenderawasih, so we can expect these to be new attractions for durian lovers to come to Penang,” he said. He said durian season is one of Penang’s main agrotourism attractions that has visitors coming from all over, including Singapore and China. “This year, we have just obtained the approved permit (AP) from the federal government to export durians directly from Penang,” he said. He said this meant that Penang could expect to export its durians directly to China this season without needing to tag on to other states. “It will bring in another stream of revenue to spur the state economy,” he said. Read more at: https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/06/03/penang-expects-to-reap-durian-runtuh-revenue-of-rm1b-due-to-three-month-season-this-year/137401
