The Musang King is one of the most popular durians in the Chinese market. Among the wide variety of import durians, the retail volume of Musang King durian is always the largest. Firstly, the Musang King is somewhat smaller than the Golden Pillow or Sultan King durian, and commonly weighs around 2.5 kg a piece. The fruit peel is green.
Secondly, the fruit flesh of the Musang King durian is bright yellow and exquisite. There are few fibers and the flavor is only slightly bitter. Third, the core of the Musang King durian is quite small, roughly the size of an adult thumb. Nearly all of the imported Musang King durian in the Chinese market came from Malaysia, and Musang King durian from other countries were extremely rare in the last few years.
Durian plantation requires long-term investment, longer than most other fruits, and the risks are significant. First, even before the trees produce flowers they require particular care and if the trees do not receive proper care, then few of them survive. Second, while the trees are in bloom, they are very sensitive to weather conditions and soil conditions. Third, the price of durian relies on the overall production volume and the impact of plant disease on product quality.
"We actually began planting Musang King durian trees several years ago. The trees require five years before they start bearing fruit. We have been waiting for the trees to mature before we can start exporting durian. This year the first Musang King durian from Thailand will enter the Chinese market. I am given to understand that the number of Musang King durian trees is rather large, so there is a sizeable supply volume of Thai Musang King durian for the Chinese market in the next few years." This is according to Mr. Shen Ling of Modern Age Fruit Trade Association - MAFTA.
It is still too early to tell whether the Musang King durian from Thailand will compete with Malaysian Musang King durian in the Chinese market. According to Mr. Shen Ling, "the product quality of durian depends on various factors including production area, tree age, and the level of plantation management. Only after a few years of market feedback will the impact of Thai Musang King durian become apparent. To what extent the durian from Thailand will put pressure on Malaysian durian depends a lot on the investment in Thai durian plantations. Only after a few years will the consequences become apparent."
For more information:
Mr. Shen Ling - Manager
Modern Age Fruit Trade Association - MAFTA
WeChat: nonpanggg