Fama deputy director-general (Food Security and Operations) Faisal Iswardi Ismail said the situation stems from a simultaneous peak production cycle across nearly all durian-producing states.
GOMBAK: Malaysia’s durian industry is grappling with a nationwide oversupply crisis this season, with farm-gate prices plummeting as low as RM1 per kg, prompting the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) to deploy emergency market interventions to protect farmers’ income.
Fama deputy director-general (Food Security and Operations) Faisal Iswardi Ismail said the situation stems from a simultaneous peak production cycle across nearly all durian-producing states, creating market saturation during the June to August harvest window.
“On Feb 6 and May 4 this year, industry feedback and signals indicated that a ‘Musang King tsunami’ would occur in 2026.
“That situation has now materialised,“ he said, adding that Fama has taken proactive steps by implementing intervention measures well ahead of the peak season.
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Farm-gate prices for kampung durian currently range between RM1 and RM4 per kg, varying by state, quality and supply volume.
Fama is targeting the purchase of 300 metric tonnes (MT) of seasonal fruits, including durian, through its operational centres this year, at a total value of RM2.7 million.
The agency has directly purchased 142.7 MT while indirect purchases through Fama-linked entrepreneurs have reached 1,099 MT, generating about RM3.28 million in sales.
To address the supply surge, Fama has activated three key intervention strategies. It has expanded marketing channels through 91 seasonal fruit sales locations nationwide to facilitate direct farm-to-market sales and established 60 temporary collection centres benefitting at least 71 farmers.
In addition, some 42 Fama operational centres have been mobilised to assist farmers facing marketing difficulties. Downstream processing has been bolstered through 14 fruit processing centres, which convert excess durian into value-added products such as paste.
A total of 25,760kg has been processed to date while 142 cold storage facilities with a combined capacity of 1,600 MT have been deployed nationwide to reduce post-harvest losses.
On the export front, Malaysia shipped 42,994 MT of durian in 2025, with volumes projected to rise to around 50,000 MT this year.
While China remains the dominant market, Fama is working to diversify exports to Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Japan and the Maldives, partnering with 13 export management companies across 10 countries to secure new buyers.
Fama will also organise its Durian Paradise and Durian Fiesta programmes in Singapore in August, featuring about 7 MT of premium varieties, including Musang King, Black Thorn and kampung durians – initiatives expected to generate roughly RM1.5 million in sales.
The agency is developing a grading, packaging and labelling simulation system to improve traceability and bolster consumer confidence in export markets, supported by the Agri-Food Supply and Marketing Monitoring and Intervention portal to track supply and pricing trends in real time.
Faisal emphasised that the measures are designed to ensure the industry remains competitive, sustainably managed and continues to generate higher income for farmers and entrepreneurs.
