DURIAN farmers and merchants have survived the Covid-19 pandemic, thanks to online sales, but earnings are small compared to pre-pandemic times when customers bought the thorny fruit in large numbers.

As the durian season draws to a close this month, merchants say consumers’ reduced purchasing power and smaller sales on online platforms have made it a difficult year for the sector.

“We have found that while our customer base has increased as all sorts of people buy durian online, the sales volume is less than before,” said Top Fruits Sdn Bhd director Dr Tan Sue Sian.

Tan said his company sold more than 60 tonnes of durian online in the current season, which is due to end.

One customer bought RM2,000 worth of durians, equivalent to 30 boxes weighing 300g per box, in one purchase.

“The customer said he freezes the durian to enjoy it slowly. But how many will do this?” he said.

The weak economy and belt-tightening by consumers is reflected in reduced spending on Malaysians’ favourite fruit, he added.

Durian is also not a regular item on people’s grocery lists and merchants only enjoy good sales when the fruit is in season, said Dulai Fruits Enterprise managing director Eric Chan. 

“From June to July when durian output was high, business was really good, but it has slowed down since mid-July.”

Chan said online sales of durian has been better this year compared to last year when people ate only to satisfy their cravings. Even then, online shoppers would wait for promotions or offers before clicking the purchase button.

“But this year, many people are buying durians as gifts for friends and relatives, and even asking merchants to include greeting cards,” Chan said.

During the durian season this year, from June to early August, Dulai Fruits sold more than 100 tonnes of durian online, he added.

While online sales have provided a lifeline to merchants and farmers, Tan said operating costs are higher than the traditional method of renting a roadside stall.

The higher cost of online sales includes packaging and freight costs. 

Manpower shortage for packing is another problem because of Covid-19 restrictions on the number of employees allowed to work.

Switching durian sales to a virtual platform, however, has been a lifeline for some people who have lost their jobs or facing a credit crunch because of the pandemic.

Tan Wan Ting, whose durian farm company turned to selling directly to consumers online instead of engaging distributors as they had done before the pandemic, has been able to provide work to people affected.

Since making the switch in June, her online sales company, Durian Mama, has given part-time packing jobs to around 50 people, and splits commissions with 200 others who work as agents.

The agents are women and mothers whose husbands or heads of household have lost their jobs, Tan said.

“I found that friends and many families around me had been affected by the pandemic. Their husbands or the male head of the house is unemployed and the wife hopes to earn some money to cover living expenses.

“We decided to open up jobs for them and split commissions with them. We hope that there will be more durian sales which can help these people affected by the pandemic,” she said. – August 20, 2021.