BEIJING: In less than 24 hours, Chinese consumers snapped up the first batch of fresh Malaysian durians exported to China.
A total of 40 tonnes were put on sale from Aug 26 onwards at selected retail outlets in six regions across the People's Republic.
Malaysia's Ambassador to China, Datuk Norman Muhamad, said the durian's freshness and high quality contributed to its warm reception by the Chinese people in every location where it was sold.
"Indeed, all the durians were sold out on the very first day, during the launch ceremony on Aug 26. Even before I left the event, the durians that were brought in had already sold out," he told Bernama.
In August, Malaysia exported premium-quality fresh durians, such as Musang King, Black Thorn, and D24, to be sold in six regions in China: Beijing, Zhengzhou, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Nanning.
Norman added that the government is working on establishing more cargo flights between Malaysia and China to deliver fresh durians into the country.
"We have proposals to increase the frequency. Our traders will certainly seize the opportunity to market fresh durians. However, transporting fresh durians is complicated because they must be sold within 36 hours, or they may spoil," he explained.
For durian fans in China, the thick, fleshy texture and creamy taste of Malaysian durians create an exciting experience with every bite.
For Chen Jingyi, 26, the Malaysian government's initiative to export fresh durians brought back memories of tasting the fruit while on holiday in Malaysia a few years ago.
"When I travelled with my family to Kuala Lumpur, we tried fresh Musang King. It tasted really good and was different from the durians I usually eat here in China. Perhaps because the durians we get here are often frozen, the quality and taste aren't quite the same as fresh durians," she said.
She acknowledged that while fresh durians are more expensive, they are worth the price due to their superior taste and quality.
For private worker Wang Yiming, the taste of fresh Malaysian durian was like eating ice cream, making her eager to grab the fruit whenever it's available.
"Durian is very popular in Beijing and can be found in supermarkets or fruit shops, but the fruit isn't fresh. Malaysia's effort to export fresh durians is a great step, and that's why the fruit is selling so well," she said.
Student Almasbiek Mamut, 21, who fell in love with the fruit after trying fresh durians for the first time, said the taste was completely different from the frozen ones.
"I love fresh durians; they are one of my favourite fruits now. The flesh is incredibly smooth and custard-like, offering a unique experience that's hard to find in other fruits. I think I need to visit Malaysia to taste durians at their freshest. I'm lucky I managed to get some here," he said.– BERNAMA