After the gold rush: Malaysia’s durian industry gets thornier

[KUALA LUMPUR] Every year, durian growers from across Malaysia send their finest fruit to compete for the coveted “King of Kings” title.

Agricultural scientists, industry experts and chefs judge entries on criteria such as taste, texture, appearance and aroma.

This July, a Black Thorn from Pahang beat out 192 competitors to come out on top. But it was not just the victory that caught the industry’s attention.