PETALING JAYA: The erratic weather has pushed this year’s durian season, which typically peaks in June and July, to October – but the good news is that there will be cheaper durian by then.

       As the yield fell by over 50% this season, durian lovers will have to fork out more for the thorny fruit currently.

       However, cheaper durians will come when the peak rolls around in October, as farmers are likely to have an excess of up to 150% compared with the typical yield.

       Malaysian Durian Exporters Association president Sam Tan said the famous Musang King would be sold for RM60 to RM70 per kilogramme this season.

       He expected the price to drop to about RM30 per kilogramme in October.

       “Usually, there is a season every December. But our yield was not much last year, and some farms were hit by the major floods.

       “Then the flowering didn’t happen in March due to the erratic weather, so the coming peak season in October will be massive, with many fruits.

       “Durian lovers would most likely buy less this season and wait to feast on the king of fruits in October,” he said in an interview.

       Although fertiliser prices have gone up over the last few years, he said the increase had little effect on the high price of durian this season.

       “It’s only a small factor ... as a pack of fertiliser can be used for many trees. The increase has little effect on each tree and fruit.

       “So, the upcoming season’s price increase is more because of the season shift caused by the weather that has affected yields.”

       Tan, the executive director of MAPC Sdn Bhd, Malaysia’s largest durian supplier that exports about 90% of its fruit to China, said the upcoming season’s lower yield was a “blessing in disguise” for farmers as sales in China have slowed down considerably.

       “Many cities in China are still in some form of lockdown because of its zero-Covid strategy, and durian is not a necessity.

       “The country also has many provinces with their own local authority rules limiting logistics and transportation arrangements. This becomes a problem for our durian exports,” he said, adding that China’s durian sales fell by at least 30%.

       While anticipating the next peak season in October, Tan said he hoped that the situation in China would improve by July so that Malaysia could make it in time to export more later.

       “The preparation to export durian to China takes about two months each season.

       “If they open up only later, we won’t make it and will end up with an excess locally,” he said, adding that such excess can see the Musang King price slide further to RM20 per kilogramme.

       Topfruits managing director Dr Tan Sue Sian also said his farms expected a 50% fall in yield with a 30% drop in exports.

       He said the per kilo farm price of Musang King was about RM60 to RM65 (Grade A) and RM36 to RM40 (Grade B), compared with last year’s RM45 to RM50 for Grade A and RM26 to RM30 for Grade B.

       Dr Tan, whose company specialises in frozen fruit exports, also said the erratic weather had significantly affected flowering and, naturally, yields this year.

       “The weather plays an important role. During flowering, rains will affect the pollination process.”

       To cope with the challenges, he said durian farms should incorporate modern and precision farming to be less labour-intensive and use less fertiliser.

       “All farmers should rely on scientific data while adopting modern and precision farming to secure a yield that is better in terms of quantity and quality,” he added.