Durian prices won’t skyrocket this season: farmers

GEORGE TOWN – Durian farmers here say the prices of the popular fruit are not expected to rise exponentially despite increased demand, low supply, and bad weather during the flowering season.

Among them is Green Acres co-owner Kim Chong, who noted a drop in durian yield of about one-third of what his company harvested last year.

However, he said the drop did not lead to a drastic increase in prices. With 900 trees, Kim said the supply this season would still be sufficient for the local market and for their durian tours.

“There are other factors that caused the prices not to increase so much, (such as) the opening of borders, and that Thai durians are coming in (to the country) as well,” she said.

“They (Thai durians) are much cheaper than the local ones, and therefore, we cannot compete in terms of prices.

“But our business is not too affected as we sell directly to our customers.”

Green Acres used to run farm stays but had to put a halt to the project due to a lack of manpower.

Another durian farmer in Balik Pulau, Sow Cheng Khaw, said the price of fertiliser has gone up by 40%. However, owing to price hikes at the beginning of the season, he said many customers have decided not to buy them.

She said due to the high number of unsold durians, wholesalers are dropping prices to accommodate the market demand.

“I am not pressed to sell the durians for too cheap, so I have decided to freeze some of them and think of what to do with them later,” she said.

A durian farmer on Fish Ball Hill here, Teoh Kar Yeow, told The Vibes that durian prices are beginning to decline to levels seen last year.

Teoh said the prices of the Musang King variety have dropped from RM60 per kg last week to RM50 this week.

He added that prices will also reduce slightly in the next two or three weeks.

Meanwhile, a durian-exporting company that declined to be named told The Vibes that it is expecting a bigger harvest in June before exports of durians reach their peak.

“It is only the premium varieties of durians like Musang King that are affected due to the weather,” a spokesman said.

“We will need to wait because our clients from the United States, China, and Indonesia only prefer Musang King.

“Other countries like Korea and Hong Kong do import the Red Prawn and D13 (varieties) from us as well.” – The Vibes, May 26, 2022