Durian: Johor looking for next big hit

JOHOR BARU: Johor is searching for a new breed of durian that will cement its ranking as the main durian producer in the country.

State Islamic Affairs, Agriculture and Rural Development Committee chairman Tosrin Jarvanthi said Johor produced 52,261 metric tonnes of durian last year, making it the main durian producer in the country followed by Pahang and Sarawak.

“The government will be hosting the state level agriculture expo and fruit fair 2019 in Segamat between June 28 and 30 where the theme is ‘Everything Durian’.

“There will be many side events, including to find a new variety of durian that has commercial value,” he added.

Tosrin pointed out that there were at least 12 durian variety originally from Johor, which have already been registered so far and the main objective is to discover a new one.

“The most famous one is Durian Hajah Hasmah, better known as Durian IOI, and we are confident we’ll find a new one that will taste even better through the festival,” he added.

Tosrin said this in a press conference held at the state Agriculture Department headquarters here on Wednesday (June 19).

Source: TheStar