Yee (left) being served a durian by orchard worker Liew Tor Choong at a fruit farm in Kulai, Johor.
Malaysian farmers’ method of harvesting durians by allowing them to drop instead of cutting fruits from branches is proving to be good for business.
Farmer Han Sing Keng from Kulai, Johor, said local growers waited for durians to drop whereas in neighbouring Thailand and Vietnam, they were harvested from the tree.
“In Malaysia, we wait for ripe durians to drop but in the other countries, the fruit is cut from the branches when almost ripe, as the majority are for export.
“When a ripened fruit drops, the odour is strong and its flesh is creamy and tasty,” said Han.
Durians, he said, were best eaten within 48 hours of them dropping.
“The only way to choose a good durian is to pick it up, bring it close to your nose and smell it. If there is a strong aroma, then it is really good,” he added.
Han, who has been running his family fruit orchard at Kelapa Sawit in Kulai for the past 16 years, is extremely busy during the durian season.
His 8.09ha farm land has many varieties, with an average production of 100 tonnes of fruit during the durian season.
“However, unpredictable weather has affected yield causing it to drop by 50%.
“Durian trees bear good fruits during a long hot spell. They tend to spoil if there is continuous rain,” he added.
Han says rainy weather is affecting fruit yield at his durian farm.
Han, 48, said even though there was a drop in numbers, his durians were of quality and sellable.
Most of his customers, according to him, are from Singapore, China, Russia, US, Argentina and Spain.
“I have become close friends with some of them, especially a Spanish customer who tasted durian for the first time in Malaysia last year.
“He initially did not like the taste or smell but I let him try fresh durian that had just fallen from the tree and he loved it,” he said, adding that the customer would now call him for fruits during the durian season.
Singaporean Janet Yee, 67, and her family travel across the Causeway to visit Han’s farm during the durian season.
“I love eating durian at the farm as the fruit is really fresh. Although we get Malaysian durian in Singapore, it is not the same in terms of taste and the environment.
“So whenever it is durian season, we drive up to Kulai and visit the farm for durians,” she said, adding that Musang King is her favourite because of its fragrance and not overly sweet taste.
Durian seller Walter Chew, 42, who has been operating his durian stall near Taman Sutera in Johor Baru for 14 years now, said the majority of his customers were locals and Singaporeans besides Chinese tourists.
“Most of my Malaysian customers live overseas in places like Australia, the US and Europe. Whenever it is durian season, they come home.
Chew (left) with his worker arranging durians at his stall in Taman Sutera in Johor Baru. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
“It is the smell of durian that makes them come back. There is no greater feeling than savouring durian with family and friends in a farm or at home,” he said.
Chew also said that bad weather had affected fruit yield from older orchards but this time around, he could depend on younger trees.
He said relying on the new orchards for fruits had enabled him to meet customers’ demands.
“I have been getting an average of 10 tonnes of durian per day from a farm in Muar. Next month, I am expecting durians from Pahang from a supplier to meet growing demand,” he said.
