Musang King Durian Brand Secures Intellectual Property Protection Until 2034*

SERDANG, Sept 20 — The Musang King durian brand has had its local intellectual property protection extended for another 10 years, with the Intellectual Property Corporation (MyIPO) renewing its certificate until March 12, 2034.

Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu announced the renewal, emphasizing that the Musang King durian is a distinctly Malaysian brand, protected from use by other countries.

“We (Malaysia) have registered Musang King as a unique brand through MyIPO. With this 10-year patent protection, it will be difficult for any other country to claim or use it,” Mohamad Sabu said during the launch of the Durian Technology Package book yesterday.

Musang King was first registered as intellectual property under the Geographical Indication (GI) category on March 13, 2014, to recognize its exceptional quality and reputation as a globally beloved Malaysian fruit.

Mohamad Sabu highlighted that durians are no longer just a fruit cultivated for family enjoyment, but a source of significant income. Malaysia has now become an exporter of fresh durian, particularly to China.

“Durians today are not planted just for children and grandchildren. Recently, we exported around 40 metric tonnes of fresh durians, including Musang King, to China. With the next durian season, we expect to produce thousands more tonnes for export,” he said.

The minister encouraged durian growers nationwide to continue expanding and maintaining the quality of their produce to meet the increasing demand. He noted that Musang King durians are highly prized in China, fetching prices of around RM350 per fruit.

Pahang remains the largest producer of Musang King durian, followed by Perak, according to Mohamad Sabu.

Malaysia's durian export to China began on August 24, following the signing of the Phytosanitary Requirements Protocol for the Export of Fresh Durian Fruit from Malaysia to China. The agreement was formalized between Mohamad Sabu and China's General Administration of Customs (GACC) Minister Yu Jianhua in Putrajaya.