In recent years, the industry has flourished, especially following the opening of new air shipment routes that allow fresh durians to reach Chinese consumers in just 36 hours.

Malaysia began exporting frozen durian products to China in 2011, followed by whole frozen durians in 2019. However, due to traditional harvesting methods — where durians are left to fall naturally when ripe — coupled with limited freezing facilities, the country's export capacity long remained constrained. That changed in June 2024, when the two nations signed a phytosanitary protocol allowing fresh Malaysian durians to enter the Chinese market.

This agreement, which coincided with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia, has injected new energy into Malaysia's durian industry.