Thursday May 28, 2009
Rain causes lean durian harvest
GEORGE TOWN: The durian season has begun but it looks like a lean affair, again.
Bao Sheng Durian Farm co-owner T.S. Chang said heavy rain on the island at the beginning of the year had affected the durian flowering season.
Thorny delight: Chang showing some of his Kun Poh Ang Bak durians at his estate in Sungai Pinang. “We expected about 180 trees in our Sungai Pinang estate to fruit. That is about half the total number of trees, slightly less than the number that fruited last year,” Chang told The Star.
“There was too much rain in January so many of the flowers dropped. Fewer flowers mean fewer fruits,” he explained, adding that the harvest season was from mid-May to the end of July.
Durian estates in other parts of the island also expect a similarly lean harvest.
“From what I’ve heard, estates in Gertak Sanggul and Teluk Kumbar are experiencing average yield,” said estate co-owner Tham Soon Seong.
“In Pondok Upeh, we’re not very much better off than last year, when about 40% of the trees fruited.”
However, lovers of the King of Fruits need not despair as prices in the market seem stable, even though it is only the beginning of the durian season.
“In about two to three weeks, we’ll reach mid-season and more durians will start dropping. Then prices will also come down,” Tham predicted.
Chang said the steady durian price was surprising considering the limited supply.
“By right, with limited supply, durians should be more expensive, but the price is similar to last year’s,” he said.
“Perhaps people are not eating so much this year.”
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