Under an agreement signed in Shanghai today, Dulai Fruits will work with COFCO Food Import Co Ltd to make durians available in major cities and provinces in China.

COFCO Food Import is a subsidiary of China Oil and Foodstuffs Corporation (COFCO).

Dulai Fruits will ensure a steady supply of fresh, high-quality durians of the Musang King, Red Prawn and D24 varieties of durians to China, vice general manager of COFCO Food Import Wu Yiran said.

These are the species cultivated only in Malaysia and a favourite among durian lovers.

China is a big market for durians from Malaysia. Wu said that in 2021, China imported 822 million kg of durians worth US$4.2 billion (RM19 billion) from Malaysia.

She said that with the demand for durians in China rising, the deal with Dulai Fruits would ensure that there was a steady supply of fresh, high quality fruits to China.

Dulai Fruits, which has its own durian plantations, is also a major processor and exporter of durian products to China.

With the exclusive distribution partnership in place, PLS and COFCO aim to achieve an annual growth rate of 30%, or 200 million yuan (RM129 million) in the import of all types of durians from Malaysia over the next three years.

PLS group CEO Lee Hun Kheng said that through COFCO, the Malaysian durians would reach connoisseurs in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.