Marina Mahathir has raised some thorny questions about the government's plans to research the benefits of durian for men.

This is after Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek told Parliament about durian's purported aphrodisiac qualities and that it was "good for men".

"Do we really need anything to make men hornier?" Marina asked in a Facebook posting.

"If this was good for women, would anyone ask this question in Parliament? Nothing more important to ask in Parliament?" she added.

Ahmad Shabery had spoken about durian's effects on men when asked during the Minister's Question Time about the health benefits and downsides of the king of fruits.

He said he had heard about the supposed aphrodisiac qualities from a friend, adding that he would order the relevant bodies to conduct research on the matter.

The durian has been making headlines in recent months, after Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak touted exports of the fruit to China.

In his 2018 budget speech, Najib said that the "Musang King" durian now costs up to RM800 per fruit in Hong Kong.

He was previously blamed for the hike in durian prices after revealing that he was responsible for the export of the fruits to China.