Date: 1 July 2026
Reported by: Zheng He Jian
Source: Guang Ming Daily

Located in Kulim, Kedah, O Green Durian Farm integrates ecological balance, modern technology, and educational promotion. Through precise farm management and standardized production, the farm has successfully obtained both MyGAP Malaysia Good Agricultural Practices certification and GACC China Customs import fruit registration certification, making it a model farm for modern ecological agriculture.

In an interview, Fan Ying Zhen, Business Development Director of O Green Durian Farm, said the farm covers about 5 acres and has approximately 250 durian trees. The land was formerly a rubber plantation. Under the leadership of his father, Fan Kong Yau, the team began developing and replanting the farm in 2017.

He said that apart from retaining some old durian trees, the farm mainly cultivates Black Thorn and Musang King, while also planting a small number of other varieties such as 101, D88, Kanyao, and Puangmanee.

Fan Ying Zhen explained that the farm has fully implemented dwarfing technology. Through scientific and biological principles, dwarfing allows nutrients within the trees to be distributed more efficiently, helping the fruit flesh become fuller and improving overall durian quality.

He said traditional planting methods may be simple, but they make yield and quality difficult to control. They may also require heavier use of pesticides. Therefore, the farm has moved away from allowing trees to grow too tall naturally and instead adopts a more precise and systematic dwarfing cultivation method.

Fan Ying Zhen revealed that O Green Durian Farm is currently the only farm in the local area with both MyGAP and GACC certifications. These certifications not only show that the farm’s products meet export standards, but also give consumers greater confidence in enjoying safe and high-quality durians.

In addition, the farm successfully registered its own trademark in 2025 and has also developed homestay facilities to promote farm-based eco-tourism.

The farm produces around two durian seasons each year, usually from May to August and from December to January. To avoid excessive use of chemical flowering agents or fertilizers, the farm maintains a more balanced and sustainable management approach.

Fan Ying Zhen said the farm has also introduced NFC technology, giving each durian tree its own unique identity. Consumers can simply tap their mobile phone on the NFC tag attached to the tree to access information about that specific tree, including its variety, flesh texture, fermentation aroma, and other details. This helps the farm better match different customer preferences.

The farm also actively promotes an educational model that combines agriculture and learning. Students are invited to visit the farm and gain hands-on experience. Through learning about durian trees and vegetable planting, students can understand the complete process from seed sowing, scientific soil moisture and pH management, all the way to harvesting.

This educational approach aims to help students experience the scientific side of modern agriculture instead of relying only on traditional experience. It also helps change the stereotype that agriculture is a low-skill industry, while encouraging students to better understand the value chain of agriculture.

Fan Ying Zhen added that the farm has widely adopted automated irrigation systems to improve planting efficiency and reduce reliance on manual labour. The farm hopes to combine science, knowledge, and agricultural production to build a mature, efficient, and sustainable agricultural ecosystem.

He emphasized that growing premium durians requires not only traditional farming experience, but also technology and digital management. Through scientific data control, farm management efficiency can be improved, and fruit quality can be better maintained.

With his background in biomedical science, Fan Ying Zhen applies professional knowledge to agricultural management and adopts a “small-data management” approach in the farm’s operations. With the introduction of AI and other advanced technologies, data analysis can help manage different types of crops more effectively.

He also shared that the farm won a technology competition in Kedah last year with its NFC technology system.

He said, “Everything can be managed with data. With these data, you can help yourself manage all kinds of crops.”

O Green Durian Farm is not only a model of modern ecological agriculture, but also carries the deep family values of Fan Kong Yau toward his father, Fan Yeok Foong. Fan Yeok Foong devoted his life to cultivating a healthy, organic, and pesticide-free fruit farm. His original intention of producing fruit that people could enjoy with peace of mind has now borne fruit, showing excellent quality and ecological value.

Regarding the current low market price of durians, Fan Ying Zhen analysed that one of the main reasons is that some growers do not carry out proper fruit thinning, causing too many young fruits to remain on the trees.

He said that due to a lack of high-quality fruits in the market, together with overly dense planting and too many varieties, some fruits eventually have poor appearance and can only be sold at lower prices.

Based on the farm’s market analysis, around 60% to 65% of fruits in the market fall into the average-quality category. This causes many growers to compete mainly through low prices.

Fan Ying Zhen also analysed the impact of climate on durian quality from a biological perspective. He said Malaysia’s hot climate, with temperatures between 30°C and 40°C and high humidity, provides a natural advantage for producing flavourful durians.

In contrast, colder regions such as Hainan, China, may not provide an ideal environment for durian fermentation. He explained that durian fermentation requires heat. For durians to taste better, they need to grow in warmer regions, where the flavour becomes richer and more intense.

Regarding attempts to bring Malaysian durian cultivation experience overseas to places such as Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, China, and Singapore, he said geographical and climate differences mean that overseas-grown durians often cannot fully reproduce “the Malaysian taste.”

He explained that these differences are not only caused by farming techniques, but also by climate, soil, water, and other natural factors.

On why some durian products are unable to pass certification for export, Fan Ying Zhen pointed out that the main reason lies in the environmental conditions of certain production areas, including landform and water quality, which may not meet MyGAP’s strict requirements.

He explained that MyGAP certification does not only focus on fruit quality, pesticide usage, or fertilizer usage. It also places very high requirements on the basic conditions of the planting area.

For example, if the water source is not clean, certification cannot be obtained. If the land slope exceeds 30 degrees, the farm may also fail to qualify due to safety concerns such as landslides.

He said, “To improve safety and reduce the risk of mudslides, MyGAP currently encourages farmers to adopt terraced farming methods to prevent serious landslides from happening again.”

He added that many old-tree farms were planted before these modern standards were introduced. In addition, many of the trees are already 30 to 40 years old. As a result, their environmental conditions may not meet today’s strict requirements, making it difficult for their fruits to enter export markets.

Fan Ying Zhen emphasized that MyGAP certification covers soil, water quality, and the overall planting environment. It is a key indicator for ensuring export quality and safety. Farmers must control quality from the foundation of planting in order to overcome export barriers.