Malaysia To Host Durian Festival In China Next June

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- Come June next year, Malaysia will host its maiden Durian Festival at the Guangxi Zhuang Province in China, says Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek. He said the king of fruits festival, organised by the ministry in collaboration with the government of the autonomous province of Guangxi Zhuang, was among issues discussed during his meeting with the vice-governor of the province, Zhang Xiaoqin. "During the meeting, among the agreements reached was holding the Durian Festival, and on how we will bring the durians directly from Malaysia to China. "I believe this festival will become a starting point for the export of Malaysian durians to China," he told Bernama here Friday. Ahmad Shabery, who was accompanied by Malaysia's consul-general in Guangxi Zhuang, Bong Yik Jui, and senior ministry officials paid a courtesy call on the vice-governor of Nanning on Wednesday. The meeting was also attended by the mayor of Qinzhou, Huang Haikun, and several senior leaders of the region. Ahmad Shabery said currently, China only allowed Malaysia to export packed frozen durians and the durian pulp to China. He said he was still in discussion with the relevant parties in China to enable Malaysia to export durians. He added, in addition to durian, the ministry planned to send various other fruits to the festival, besides Malaysia's halal food products. "China is one of the largest markets for halal food products in the world, and Malaysian halal product entrepreneurs should use this opportunity to explore a wider market." -- BERNAMA