AUTHORITIES in Penang are set to launch enforcement raids at several identified hotspots where imported durians, mainly from Thailand, are being mislabelled and sold as the premium Balik Pulau variety.
Chairman of the State Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperative Development Committee, Fahmi Zainol, said joint operations will be carried out by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), the Agriculture Department and the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA).
“We’ve identified two or three hotspots where durians are brought in by truck from Thailand but sold as local produce,” Bernama quoted him saying.
“We’re just waiting for the right time to conduct raids and issue compounds.”
Fahmi was speaking to reporters after officiating the State Interim Report Launch at the Bumbong Lima Agricultural Training Institute today.
Also in attendance was Chief Statistician and Commissioner of Agriculture Census 2024, Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin, from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
The crackdown follows public complaints and ongoing monitoring, including a recent roadblock at the Juru toll plaza conducted with the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (MAQIS) and other enforcement bodies to detect non-compliant agricultural goods, with a particular focus on durians.
While durians from other regions or countries are not prohibited, Fahmi made clear that sellers must not pass them off as Balik Pulau durians.
“We now have a ‘Track and Trace’ system in place since 1 June. Every durian is tagged with a QR code that lets consumers verify its origin, from farm to table,” he said.
Fahmi encouraged the public to report dubious sellers and added that most legitimate durian farmers in Penang have adopted the tracking system to promote transparency and strengthen consumer trust. - June 17, 2025
