SERDANG – Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), China Henan Aviation Group Co., Ltd. (CHAG) and Tropika Makmur Manufacturing Sdn. Bhd. (TMM), operator of the Malaysia Durian and Tropical Fruit Export Centre (MADTEC), today signed a Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Show (MAHA) 2026 at MAEPS, Serdang.
The MoU establishes a framework for the parties to explore and facilitate the KUL-CGO Smart Durian Fast Track, aimed at enabling faster, more visible and better-coordinated movement of Malaysian durians and other time-sensitive agricultural products between KL International Airport (KLIA; IATA Code: KUL) and Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport (CGO). The collaboration builds on the MAHB–CHAG Air Silk Road partnership established in 2024, which has since recorded significant growth from 2,407 tonnes to 20,298 tonnes in 2025 increasing to eight times the original volume, supported by stronger air freight connectivity between KUL and CGO.
The Smart Durian Fast Track will explore improvements spanning handling and inspection, free zone access, customs coordination, and permit and certification visibility. The initiative complements the broader KLIA Air Cargo Reform led by the Ministry of Transport (MOT), focused on improving cargo efficiency and strengthening KLIA's competitiveness as a regional air cargo hub. The collaboration will seek to establish the current clearance baseline and develop a measurable expedited clearance target for eligible durian shipments that is part of the broader KLIA Air Cargo initiative.
Managing Director of Malaysia Airports, Dato' Mohd Izani Ghani said, "Air cargo is an important enabler of Malaysia's industrial competitiveness. Through this collaboration, we are bringing together the airport, aviation and agri-trade ecosystems to enable Malaysian perishables to move through the supply chain more efficiently, with greater visibility and predictability. Through the Smart Durian Fast Track, KLIA will serve as a practical test bed to advance a more seamless cargo journey within the broader Ministry of Transport-led Air Cargo Reform."
According to the relevant official of China Henan Aviation Group, based on the Air Silk Road cooperation between China and Malaysia, Malaysia Airports and Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport have joined forces to tailor a customized customs clearance solution for Malaysian fresh durian. By implementing an "inspect-on-arrival and release-upon-compliance" model, the entire process for Malaysian fresh durian, from aircraft arrival to document formalities and cargo pickup, takes merely 3 to 4 hours.
Moving forward, the two airports will take the Malaysia Durian Trade and Export Centre (MADTEC) as the pilot entity to jointly explore the establishment of the "Smart Durian Fast Track". Through corridor development and platform development, they aim to optimise and upgrade the cross-border transportation and cold-chain logistics solutions for Malaysian fresh durian will be optimized and upgraded.
Chairman of Tropika Makmur Manufacturing Sdn. Bhd., Dato' Suffian Awang said, "MADTEC is about making export markets more accessible to Malaysian durian growers and traders. Malaysia's durian exports have already grown into a billion-ringgit industry, reaching RM1.51 billion in 2023, with China alone accounting for RM1.19 billion. This underscores both the strength of international demand and the opportunity ahead for Malaysian growers and exporters. Industry participants should not need to build their own complete supply chain and export infrastructure simply to reach international markets. By providing a shared platform that brings together handling, logistics and export processes, we hope to lower barriers to market, broaden participation and enable more Malaysian durian growers and traders to access China efficiently. Beyond trade, we also hope to contribute towards elevating durian as Malaysia's national fruit and a flagship of Malaysian agriculture on the global stage."
Under the MoU, MAHB will facilitate engagement across the KLIA cargo ecosystem; CHAG will support cargo connectivity and regulatory coordination in China; while TMM, as operator of MADTEC, will coordinate and participate in the end-to-end durian export process, including cargo handling, data sharing and regulatory engagement. The parties will work with relevant government agencies and industry stakeholders to further develop the initiative, including potential pilot arrangements.