Prices of ‘Musang King’ variety of stinky delicacy have nearly quadrupled in five years
The stinky, spiky durian will become Malaysia’s next big export as the south-east Asian nation rushes to develop thousands of hectares to cash in on unprecedented demand from China for the fruit.
The durian was once only planted in family orchards and small farms, but now the Malaysian government is encouraging large-scale farming of the fruit – described by some as smelling, when ripe, like an open sewer or turpentine – and counting on a 50% jump in exports by 2030.
“The durian industry is transforming from local to global, large-scale farming due to the great demand from China,” said Lim Chin Khee, a durian industry consultant.
