Malaysia's Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is assessing whether pineapple or durian should be officially designated as the country's national fruit.
Deputy Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin stated that the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board referred to data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia showing that 80 per cent of respondents support pineapple for the title. However, durian industry stakeholders have objected, arguing that durian should receive the designation. They note that durian was served to Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to Malaysia.
"Therefore, the ministry needs to coordinate this further," Chan told Malaysiakini in a media interview on 9 February.
The ministry is also evaluating a proposal to expand the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board into a broader entity covering pineapple, coconut, and durian. The objective is to improve management of these high-value commercial fruit categories. According to Chan, the initiative is aligned with the government's approach to streamline existing departments rather than establish new ones.
"The reason for grouping pineapple and durian (into one organisation) is because they are both high-value commercial fruits," he said, adding that the proposal, first raised in 2023, remains at the cabinet paper preparation stage.
Separately, the ministry is encouraging durian industry participants to consolidate under a single federation to strengthen coordination. Chan noted that rapid growth in the domestic durian sector has resulted in multiple private associations representing growers, importers, and other stakeholders.
"With a central federation, communication between the government and the industry can be more efficient," he said.
Source: Says
