The first container of Malaysian jackfruit will be exported to China this week, said Chen Hongzhu, deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security. The jackfruit will arrive this weekend and be displayed at the China-Asean Expo to be held in Nanning from September 16 to 19.

China's General Administration of Customs announced on April 11 this year that it would allow the import of jackfruit from Malaysia. The Ministry of Agriculture then launched the first trial shipment and registered the farms and processing facilities that had already been approved by the Chinese side.

From July 12 to 13, the General Administration of Customs of China inspected three orchards and three processing facilities in Malaysia. So far, information from the Customs Department's Animal and Plant Quarantine Division shows that a total of seven orchards and eight processing facilities from Pahang, Johor, Malacca and Selangor have obtained customs codes.

According to reports, the first batch of jackfruit exported to China a total of about 900 cabinets. Exporter Richard Thang says 500 of the first jackfruit came from his orchard. The Malaysian jackfruit is ripe on the tree and has a sweeter flesh, better taste and a higher price than the Thai and Vietnamese jackfruit available in the Chinese market.

Vice Minister Tan said that competition for jackfruit produced in ASEAN countries is very fierce, with Thailand and Vietnam producing more than the other countries, so Malaysia hopes to win with quality. Exporter Francis Hong said Malaysia has unique weather and soil advantages, and these jackfruit orchards are certified by Malaysian Good Agricultural Practice (MyGAP). He noted that Malaysian jackfruit is popular in the European and Middle Eastern markets. As a perennial fruit that is not in season, jackfruit has a stable yield and oversupply, and it is hoped that the government will open up more markets.

The most productive fruits in Malaysia are durian, pineapple, banana and watermelon, with papaya, jackfruit, star fruit, mangosteen and guava produced to a lesser extent. The local jackfruit is mainly grown in Pahang, Sembilan and Johor, with a production of around 31,300 tonnes in 2019.

At present, Malaysian jackfruit sells for up to £8 / kg (about 73 yuan/kg) in the UK, and a single jackfruit weighs around 10-15 kg. Apart from the UK, Malaysian jackfruit is also expensive in the Dutch and French markets.