Durian growers in Malaysia are struggling, describing their sector as being in 'survival mode'. This difficult period is caused by an early bumper harvest colliding with sharp increases in global freight and energy costs, exacerbated by the situation in Iran.

Malaysia’s durian growers say they are in “survival mode” as an early bumper harvest collides with a surge in fuel and freight costs, squeezing an export trade built around getting premium fruit into China fast. Hot weather has brought harvests forward, swelling supply just as exporters face higher packaging, energy and transport costs, with the Iran war disrupting fuel supplies and making cargo more expensive. The strain is exposing the vulnerability of Malaysia’s durian industry, which has...