Durian lovers rejoice! The king of fruits is here to stay a little longer
ROSILAWATI ROSEDI, SHAHRIZAL AHMAD ZAINI
This is due to the prevailing hot weather which causes durian trees to grow easily, in addition to producing more fruits per tree.
A durian entrepreneur in Kampung Baru, Mohd Lokman Mohd Isa, 64, said that the durian season which started at the beginning of this year is expected to last until the middle of next October.
Mohd Lokman who cultivates Musang King and Black Thorn premium durian farms however said that apart from the weather, good farm management also affects seasonal factors and the quality of the fruit.
"In my own farm, there are four stages which we have started to gain yields since last April.
"The first phase is in January, followed by the second phase from April to May. The third phase is in June and the last in September to mid-October.
"In fact, it is expected that the fruit yield will multiply in the last phase," he told Sinar on Monday.
Malaysia is expected to experience prolonged hot weather until August following the monsoon transition season and the rainy season is expected to return in August.
The hot weather affects all states, but the most affected areas are in the north and the East Coast.
Meanwhile, in Johor Bahru, the long durian season is perceived as 'durian rain' for durian growers.
One of them, Kelly Lim, 40, said she expected the durian season to continue until this August.
Kelly who has a durian orchard in Muar said that the phenomenon is good news to fans of the 'king of fruits'.
In fact, she said increased production allows traders to sell at cheaper prices including for expensive durians such as of the Musang King variety.
"Before this, the durian season was not long, but now, I expect it to run until August. The price may be lowered because the fruits in the garden will increase," she explained.
Kelly added that if they currently sell by kilo, maybe after this, they could sell by unit, for example RM10 per fruit
She elaborated that durian yield can increase up to 50 per cent with the warm weather and good care, as these encourage the pollination process, thus increasing the amount of durian production.
Raub District Industrial Plant Operators Association chairman Nicky Koh Kuan Heng said that production can increase by up to 50 per cent if operators practise good agricultural practices and take advantage of the use of technology.
"Now, durian production is twice a year which means that the long season continues in phases since the beginning of the year.
"Agriculture has also advanced. If the fertiliser and the weather is warm enough for two to three months, the flowers will come out.
If it's hot enough, it's easy to grow durian trees. For a tree that is as old enough, about 15 years old, it can produce between 100 and 200 seeds," he told Sinar on Monday.
Meanwhile, Nicky explained, in Raub, there are about 30,000 durian growers
According to him, durian trees thrive in these parts because of the hot and humid weather in Malaysia throughout the year and appropriate soil factors.
Thai durian faces competition from two countries
In the meantime, Thai durian growers are urged to maintain the high quality of the 'king of fruits' because they are now facing increasing threats from exporting competitors in Vietnam and the Philippines for the chinese market.
The call was made by the International Trade Promotion Department director general Phusit Ratanakul Sereroengrit.
Phusit said, a report from the promotion office in Nanning, China showed that the wholesale price of durian had decreased at the beginning of this month.
The report also mentioned that the price of durian in China is decreasing due to a surge in the supply of the fruit after Chinese wholesalers increased imports from Vietnam and the Philippines.
At the beginning of this month, the price of Mon Thong durian recorded a price drop from 36 yuan to 41 yuan (RM23 to RM30) per kilogram.
Mon Thong durian from Vietnam is priced around 32 yuan to 41 yuan (RM21 to RM27) per kilogram while Puyat durian from the Philippines is around 37 yuan to 45 yuan (RM24 to RM29).
The report added that Thai durian prices soared up to to 52 yuan to 58 yuan (RM34 to RM37) per kilogram in mid-May following the end of the season in the country's eastern region.
"Thai exporters should maintain the quality of their durian until the fruits reach buyers' hands, thus maintaining their good image and increasing competitiveness," said Phusit.
