Malaysia wants to cater to China's growing penchant for durians

Kuala Lumpur

CHINA'S love of durian is skyrocketing, and Malaysia wants a piece of it. The value of China's fresh imports of durian has climbed an average of 26 per cent a year over the past decade, reaching US$1.1 billion in 2016, according to United Nations data.

Thailand dominates that market, but Malaysian politicians are counting on durian diplomacy to expand access beyond frozen fruit pulp.