Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan and Central Sulawesi Governor Rusdy Mastura held a closed meeting in Jakarta on Monday to discuss the acceleration of durian exports to China. "We are certainly not wasting this opportunity; Central Sulawesi must take part in the durian export market to China," Rusdy Mastura stated in a written statement received in Palu on Monday. He explained that his region has approximately 30,000 hectares of durian cultivation area with over 3 million trees spread across 12 districts.
According to data from the Agricultural Quarantine Agency in May 2024, the export volume of durians from Central Sulawesi to China was valued at around IDR 600 billion, consisting of 5,724 tons of frozen durians or equivalent to 17,172 tons of whole durians. "We will fulfill the requirements that have not yet been met to ensure they do not become obstacles during the export process," he added. He further detailed that of the 12 districts in Central Sulawesi with durian trees, six districts—Parigi Moutong, Poso, Tolitoli, Sigi, North Morowali, and Banggai—are potential durian producers. The Montong variety is ranked first compared to other varieties such as Musangking, Tembaga Super, Matahari, and Raja. "We hope for central government support to ensure the smooth execution of these export activities. Currently, 1,634.29 hectares of land are registered under Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), with 133 GAP-registered farmers and 10 durian packing houses in Central Sulawesi," said Rusdy Mastura. In response, Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan emphasized that Central Sulawesi must meet the export protocols required, including Good Agricultural Practices, Packing House standards, and port facilities.
