According to CNA , Parigi Moutong, a district in Indonesia's Central Sulawesi province, is famous for its Monthong durian. This durian variety produces large fruits, usually weighing around 3-5kg, with creamy softness and a sweet taste, small seeds and thicker flesh than most other varieties.

The Monthong durian is native to Thailand, but is widely grown in Indonesia and Vietnam. Central Sulawesi has about 30,000 hectares of durian cultivation, but only 10% of it is recognized by local authorities. Most farmers still use simple farming methods.

Although frozen Indonesian Monthong durians are available in China, they are exported via Thailand.

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Indonesia aims to export frozen durian to China. Photo: CNA

Indonesia is set to export frozen durian to China later this year, after a landmark deal between the two countries was signed.

PT Silvia Amerta Jaya is one of 14 durian processing facilities in Parigi Moutong registered to export frozen durian directly to China. The company has a network of 500 durian farmers.

In a campaign dubbed “durian diplomacy,” Beijing pledged to open up its domestic market and import more durians from countries in Southeast Asia.

Indonesian durian is in huge demand in China, with imports of the fruit worth nearly $7 billion last year.

Muhammad Tahir, Director of PT Ammar Durian Indonesia, said that if transported via Thailand, it would take about a month to reach China. But if shipped directly from Pantoloan Port (in Palu, Central Sulawesi) to China, it would only take about a week.

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Frozen durian production facility. Photo: CNA

Meanwhile, the cost of shipping durian directly to China is only half the price of exporting via Thailand.

Last year, the company shipped 30 containers of durian. It plans to increase exports to 50 containers once direct routes to China are established.

China has strict regulations on durian exports, requiring Indonesian farmers and suppliers to adhere to strict standards to ensure high quality control. The entire durian supply chain must also be traceable.

“Starting from the plantation, until it is packaged and ready to be sent, the product must be traceable,” said Ahmad Mansuri Alfian, head of the Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine Center in Central Sulawesi.

The Indonesian quarantine agency has created an application where the system will use barcodes, allowing barcode scanning for inspection.

“We hope to equip farmers with drones and more modern agricultural tools,” said I Wayan Wardika, a staff analyst at the Department of Agriculture, Horticulture and Plantation in Parigi Moutong. They are looking forward to more support from the local budget.