Durians await transport to market, where eager consumers will delight at the love-it-or-loathe-it fruit. The commerce ministry has warned that imported, chemically treated durians are being mis-sold as products of the Kingdom. Supplied
The Ministry of Commerce’s Consumer Protection Competition and Fraud Repression Directorate-General (CCF) has issued warnings over the safety of some durians being sold in Cambodian markets.
Following widespread reports on social media alleging that imported durians are not only being falsely sold as local produce, but being treated with chemicals, Minister of Commerce Cham Nimul ordered officials to investigate.
“Upon receiving the reports, officials from the CCF were dispatched to inspect markets and border crossings across Cambodia,” read a June 21 statement from the ministry.
Preliminary findings revealed that although many sellers claimed their durians were grown in provinces such as Kampot, Kampong Cham, Battambang, and Tbong Khmum, a substantial number were actually imported from neighbouring countries in small quantities.
“More alarmingly, CCF investigators discovered that some of the imported durians had been soaked in a chemical substance, the nature of which remains unidentified but which poses potential health risks to consumers,” added the statement.
The CCF is now collaborating with relevant ministries and professional institutions to determine the exact nature of the chemical employed.
In light of its findings, the CCF has urged all traders of the popular smelly treat to refrain from using unidentified substances and to conduct their business with integrity, including accurately representing the source of their produce.
According to 2021 data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Cambodia boasts 5,289 hectares of durian plantations, with 3,403 hectares actively under cultivation. The Kingdom produces approximately 36,656 tonnes of durians annually.
“In the first five months of 2024, the total yield of local durian was 6,228 tonnes,” ministry spokesman Khim Finan told The Post.
If people have encountered suspected fraudulent business, such as the use of unidentified substances or fraudulent sources, they should file a complaint to the commerce ministry hotline on 1266 or contact the CCF at 092 430 555.
Complaints can also be submitted through the 1 Complaint App or via the CCF's social media channels.
