QuickCheck: Are fake 'Balik Pulau' durians being sold by unscrupulous traders?

The Star

6 hours ago

ONE thing most Malaysians can agree on is a shared appreciation for the thorny delight of durian, though many would have their own preferred varieties.
Some of the more popular varieties include Musang King, Udang Merah, Black Thorn and Penang's famed Balik Pulau.
However, reports have emerged that unscrupulous traders are passing off imported durians as the Balik Pulau variety.
Is this true?
VERDICT:
TRUE
Authorities in Penang told Bernama that they 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 police, the Agriculture Department and the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) will be launched soon to curb such fraudulent practices.
"We have 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 said after officiating the State Interim Report Launch at the Bumbong Lima Agricultural Training Institute on Tuesday (June 17).
Also present was the Statistics Department of Malaysia (DOSM) chief statistician and Agriculture Census 2024 commissioner Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin.
Fahmi 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 durian.
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.