PLS Plantations Berhad through its trading and export subsidiary, Dulai Fruits Enterprise Sdn Bhd has managed to secure an export and exclusive distribution agreement with COFCO Food Import Co. Ltd for the import and distributorship of durians in China.
With this exclusive distribution partnership, both PLS and COFCO aim to achieve an annual growth rate of 30% (annual import volume of 200 million yuan) in all types of durian imported from Malaysia over the next three years.
Ms. Wu Yiran of COFCO said, “The demand for durian in China has been growing over the years, where in the span of four years between 2017 and 2020, China’s annual import value of fresh durian has increased more than threefold. In fact, the General Administration of Customs saw the People Republic of China (“PRC”) importing 822 million kilograms of durian in 2021, which translates to an import value of $4.2 billion. With the local demand for fresh durian likely to continue increasing, we are pleased to finalise this exclusive distributorship agreement this partnership will ensure a steady supply of fresh, high-quality fruit and products, specifically for unique varieties of durian that can only be grown in Malaysia such as Musang King, Red Prawn, and D24, to name a few
Lee Hun Kheng, Group CEO said the agreement is a significant milestone for PLS as it further establishes the long-term strategy to develop a comprehensive, end-to-end agrofood ecosystem that will support the production, processing and distribution of its products locally and internationally.
COFCO, founded in 1949, is the leader of the agricultural and food industry in China, and one of the world’s leading agri-product traders
