THE durian season is about to begin and prices are likely to soar this year due weather patterns that have caused a drop in output, said farmers and sellers.

Durian farms in Penang usually anticipate their harvest from June till the end of July, while farms in Johor and Pahang usher in the season from mid-June to August.

However, from March to April, the durian flowering season in Penang was affected by the wet season and sudden storms, knocking unripe fruit to the ground, said Chang Teik Seng, who owns Bao Sheng Durian Farm.

He expects prices to rise by 10% because output from June to July will be 30% less than in previous years.

Ser Tian Sin, former director of the export division of the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) said Penang-grown durians are mainly for domestic consumption within the state.

Many farms in Sg Pinang and Balik Pulau have also been converted to homestays, which attracted both locals and foreign tourists alike during the pre-pandemic period.

Chang said he is affected as the homestay on his farm is temporarily closed, with the lockdown also impacting his consumer base.

“My durian homestay is temporarily closed, so I am relying on the Penang locals to buy the durians since those from Kuala Lumpur cannot come over.”

At least six weeks of phased movement controls are in store, depending on how well the first two weeks of total lockdown succeed in reducing the number of fresh Covid-19 infections. If cases drop, four weeks of looser restrictions are to follow.

Even then, Chang does not expect consumers to spend as freely as they did before the pandemic.

“Generally, there are two types of durian consumers: those who can afford it and want to enjoy their durians, will buy during the durian season and do not bother much about the price.

“Then there are the thrifty ones. Even if they have money, they will just buy three to five fruits, and maybe even less now,” Chang said.

He said now is the time for durian farmers to tap into online platforms, as the traditional sales – often from a roadside stall – are less viable during the pandemic.

“True durian lovers will always be enthusiastic, even to buy online,” he said.

Exports

Durians grown in Johor and Pahang, on the other hand, are in demand overseas.

These varieties include the Musang King and D24, mainly grown in Bentong and Raub in Pahang, and in Johor.

Other varieties consumed by locals are Lipan, Kunpoh Angbak, Little Red, Kapri, D11, Kunjit, Red Prawn and Black Thorn.

Local durian exporters said this year’s demand for frozen durian from the export market was the largest in three years.

Demand for whole Musang King fruits, compared to durian pulp, doubled during the pandemic, said Top Fruits Sdn Bhd director Tan Sue Sian.

Tan said local demand for durian overall has dropped due to movement restrictions but exports have doubled.

In the past year, the company’s exports to China, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, the United States, Australia and Europe have increased by 50%.

China, a major market, began importing whole frozen durian from Malaysia in 2019 after a rigorous approval process.

“With durian season in July, distributors from all over the world will be chasing Malaysian durians, with 80% of them preferring the Musang King,” said Tan.

Local demand is also expected to pick up for kampung durians from July to August and once the production volume increases, prices will be slightly lower, Tan said.

Frozen durian exporter Dulai Fruits Enterprise is also expecting a doubling of orders from China.

Orders have already increased by 40% to date, ahead of the peak durian season in July, said its managing director Eric Chan. 

“Many foreign buyers know that our durian season is in July, so the orders will double, but output will determine the price. If output is small, orders will not be large because of higher prices.”

While frozen durian exporters can be assured of ongoing sales whatever the volume, Chan said they still face logistical challenges, as importing countries also have their own restrictions due to the pandemic, resulting in the shortage of containers and other freight delays. – June 8, 2021.