11/09/2026 _ Turning Musang King durian from a seasonal fruit into a year-round healthy farm product, giving farmers a reliable market and a better future

(Raub, 10th) — Chai Chang Siew, President of the Association for the Protection and Development of Agriculture Malaysia (APDAM), has urged Raub durian farmers not to give up on agriculture during periods of sluggish durian prices. Instead, he encouraged them to leverage technology to upgrade the sector, transforming Musang King from a seasonal fruit into a fully integrated, health-focused agricultural product, thereby securing sustainable markets and a brighter future for farmers.
 

He noted that the durian industry should not remain trapped in the traditional cycle of "flooding the market during peak harvests—causing prices to crash—and having no supply during the off-season." By using soft-freezing preservation technology, high-quality, Grade-A fresh Musang King durians harvested during peak seasons can be preserved and released to the market in batches based on demand during off-seasons. This strategy offers an opportunity to shift the traditional seasonal durian trade into a year-round supply model.

"A market surplus of durians is not a dead end; the key lies in whether we can find solutions. For instance, allowing consumers to enjoy top-quality Musang King anytime in the future without waiting for durian season, making a 365-day fresh durian supply a reality."

He made these remarks today in response to a recent report by this daily regarding a "durian tsunami" that hit the mountain town of Raub, leading to the closure of at least 40 businesses across various sectors in the town center.

He said that while Musang King put Malaysia's durian industry on the map, oversupply, price fluctuations, and market cycles are now turning around to create pressure for industry players. He emphasized that promoting soft-freezing technology is not merely about boosting sales, but about addressing the underlying market challenges faced by farmers.

"When farmers are no longer forced to sell all their fresh fruit at low prices during peak harvests, agricultural products gain a longer sales lifecycle. Once the market can maintain a year-round supply, the industry stands a chance to smooth out severe fluctuations—avoiding gluts in peak seasons and shortages in off-seasons."

He added that farmers do not need to cut down mature durian trees over low prices, nor do businesses need to shut down due to short-term market pressures.

"In the future, consumer demand for food safety, health, and environmental protection will only rise. Therefore, beyond year-round availability, our nation should focus on pollution-free, healthy, and sustainable farming as critical directions for upgrading the durian industry."

Source：  https://eastcoast.chinapress.com.my/?p=334936