Penang not affected by cloned durian issue, Musang King farms well‑regulated, says state exco

Penang not affected by cloned durian issue, Musang King farms well‑regulated, says state exco



Penang remains unaffected by the issue of cloned durians failing to meet export standards due to its mature and well-regulated Musang King cultivation, said state Agrotechnology, Food Security and Cooperative Development Committee chairman Fahmi Zainol. — Picture by Hari Anggara

Sunday, 11 Jan 2026 4:33 PM MYT


GEORGE TOWN, Jan 11 — Penang remains unaffected by the issue of cloned durians failing to meet export standards due to its mature and well-regulated Musang King cultivation.

State Agrotechnology, Food Security and Cooperative Development Committee chairman Fahmi Zainol said most Musang King durian trees in Penang are over 10 years old, contributing to more stable produce quality and meeting export market requirements.

“The cultivation of Musang King durians in Penang is not done hastily or excessively, but follows a mature phase that allows quality management to be implemented more effectively.

“Based on monitoring and feedback from the Penang Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA), the quality of cloned durians grown in the state is good and meets the set export standards,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.


He said this factor also prevented durian dumping in the local market, as production for the current season had not yet begun.

Fahmi said the Musang King durian trees in Penang were now at the flowering stage, with the first harvest anticipated by the end of April 2026.

He assured that the state government would continue monitoring the market and work closely with FAMA and relevant agencies to ensure that durian production, quality and marketing remain under control, protecting the interests of local farmers and traders.


Last Friday, FAMA deputy director-general (Food Security and Operations) Faisal Iswardi Ismail said that cloned varieties such as Musang King not meeting export standards were causing an oversupply of durians in the local market.

He said the glut was also caused by durians from orchards under 10 years old, which produced lower-quality fruit that did not meet export requirements for markets such as China and Singapore. — Bernama