Penang To Launch Raids On Durian Fraud Hotspots, Warns Sellers Against Mislabelling

KEPALA BATAS, June 17 (Bernama) -- Authorities in Penang have identified several hotspots selling imported durians, particularly from Thailand, falsely marketed as the famed Balik Pulau variety.

State Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperative Development Committee chairman Fahmi Zainol said joint operations involving the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), the Agriculture Department and the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) will be launched soon to curb such fraudulent practices.

“We’ve identified two or three hotspots where durians are brought in by truck from Thailand but sold as local produce.

“We’re just waiting for the right time to conduct raids and issue compounds,” he told reporters after officiating the State Interim Report Launch at the Bumbong Lima Agricultural Training Institute today.

Also present was Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) Chief Statistician and Agriculture Census 2024 Commissioner Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin.

He said the enforcement followed public complaints and ongoing monitoring by authorities, including a recent roadblock at the Juru toll plaza involving the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (MAQIS) and other agencies to detect non-compliant agricultural products, especially durians.

While durians from other regions are not banned, Fahmi stressed that sellers must not misrepresent them as Balik Pulau durians.

“We now have a ‘Track and Trace’ system in place since June 1. Every durian is tagged with a QR code that lets consumers verify its origin, from farm to table,” he said. 

He encouraged the public to report suspicious sellers and noted that most legitimate durian farmers in Penang have adopted the tracking system to boost transparency and consumer confidence.

-- BERNAMA