How was the situation of the Malaysian durian when the Covid-19 hit the market?

Malaysia’s main trading partners for durians have traditionally been Singapore, Hong Kong, and the US. In 2018, China imported a mere 236 tons, a significantly small figure compared to imports from Singapore which recorded 20.8K tons as only frozen durian pulp and paste exports were allowed to China before 2019.

Since May 2019, Malaysia has been granted access to exporting whole frozen durians to the Chinese market, which has given the country a competitive advantage over Thailand. Although production is lower in Malaysia, Chinese buyers are more inclined to purchase Malaysian durians such as the Musang King variety which better fits the tastes, even though the price range is higher than the Thai counterparts. Malaysia has also struck a partnership with major e-commerce company Alibaba to import the Musang King variety through its platform. With the new agreement in place, exports to China were expected to reach 1,000 metric tons per month.

As of early April 2020, the durian glut has flooded into the domestic market, and durians that were once considered too pricey for domestic consumers have become affordable. Since the Lunar New Year, the lack of demand has caused durian prices to plummet by 20-50%. And as of late February 2020, prices have dropped from RM 55 (USD 12.64) to RM 24-33 (USD 5.52-7.59).

Other than moving durians into the domestic market, some durian traders have started to sell eggs instead in the stalls, which has been in high demand ever since Malaysia has announced a movement control order (MCO). The MCO has also caused complications with durian plantation workers, as many are being sent home to reduce the spread of the virus. This has posed difficulties in production as it is the dry season, in which durians need to be watered frequently, or will drop before ripening. Despite the complications, the outlook for mid-year harvests in 2020 is positive. Domestic sales remain on the downfall as tourism has reportedly dropped by nearly 80% in February 2020, and exports to China have not yet recovered.