It has been an extraordinary season for durians in Malaysia. Fruiting is heavy according to orchard owner Arman Ishak, who said he had to tie the branches of the trees and put up netting so the fruits won't fall on the ground. The 60-year-old said along with other fruit harvesters, they have had to take these added measures as fruits that fall on the ground would crack and this would spoil the flesh and affect its price.
However, the extended season and booming yield of the Malaysian King of Fruits has caused durians to be sold cheaply now. The fasting month in May had resulted in a drop in durian sales that contributed to the increase in supply, which eventually caused prices to come down.
A durian vendor in Georgetown said she was selling the fruit -packed in airtight containers- for RM10 (€2.12) apiece only. She sells more than 10 types of durian besides jackfruit, rambutan, mangosteen and mango. Owner Lim Beng Choo told The Star she had been selling the fruit for RM10 since May, as sales declined during the fasting month.“Now, there is abundant supply, so we have retained the price. The price is likely to drop a bit more since supply is increasing and many traders are also selling it.”
