National Durian

Many have an increasing annual Black Thorn durian trees are grown in the Northern Perak regions of Pengkalan Hulu, Tasek, as well as the southeastern Kedah region of Baling. These areas appear to production trend. For instance, by mid-2024, peak production from these three regions reached 10 tons per day. Interestingly, this peak production could last for up to a week. Even during the regular harvest season, the daily yield averages between 3 to 4 tons, and this is just for the Black Thorn durian variety, not counting other varieties. CONTINUED INCREASE IN BLACK THORN EVERY YEAR Kien Faye, a farmer in Kampung Tasek, said that cultivation of the local Black Thorn trees continues to increase in the area. In fact, he believes that by 2025, the Black Thorn durians…

The reason Musang King holds a special place in the heart of Malaysians is largely due to its many advantages. This includes its strong bittersweet taste, small seeds with a lot of flesh and high yield in cultivation. However, despite these excellent features, we may have overlooked the weakness of this variety - it is extremely difficult to produce A-grade fruits! "The shape of Musang King fruits varies greatly, making them difficult to control," said farmer Lee Jun Hong. This is especially true for younger Musang King trees, which find it even harder to produce A-grade fruits. Many Musang King fruits tend to develop a crescent shape, making them ineligible to be classified as A-grade fruits. Lee Jun Hong’s perspective comes from his observations at his orchard in Air Jada,…

As fresh Malaysian durians are now approved for export to China, many local farmers are eagerly preparing to enter this huge market. However, the long distance between Malaysia and China poses a major challenge in preserving the freshness of durians during export. To address this issue, there has been increasing attention on harvesting durians while they are still on the tree to improve the success rate of exporting to China. Even the Ministry of Agriculture is actively researching related harvesting techniques (“Global Durian” Issue 30). In view of this, renowned durian consultant Master Yap Chan Ming has been promoting the development of these techniques by offering workshops on durian harvesting. Master Yap Chan Ming recently conducted a workshop at his orchard in Kampung Chennah, Negeri Sembilan. The workshop was mainly…

Recently, a grand carnival for durian lovers called Pesta Durian Bentong was held in Bentong, Pahang. This event, jointly organized by the Pahang Fruit Farmers Association (Persatuan Pekebun Buah-buahan Negeri Pahang, Malaysia) and the Pahang State Government successfully attracted a large number of tourists and durian farmers. Koperasi Pengusaha dan Pengeksport Durian Malaysia Berhad was invited by the organizer in order to promote the development of local durias. They quickly took up this challenge as a co-organizer upon receiving an invitation from the main organizers. The members of the cooperation were encouraged to promote fresh durians at the carnival. In response, these members enthusiastically responded by attending the event from various regions. Additionally, the carnival received strong support from Advansia Sdn Bhd and Agroharta Fertilizer Sdn Bhd, both of which…

Among the many durian varieties, the most famous are Musang King and Black Thorn. However, this season, in some regions, durians have developed an unusual problem: pale flesh, which is a stark contrast to the vibrant hue of last season’s harvest. Black Thorn durians Known as the “gold on the tree,” Black Thorn durians are prized for their rich taste and unique flavor. Although the fruit is not large, its flesh is thick, with a creamy, smooth texture and almost no fiber, offering a complex flavor profile. Its fame comes from its fiery orange-red flesh and the distinctive combination of sweet and bitter notes. Recently, some Black Thorn durians have shown white flesh, reduced sweetness, poor texture, and even under-ripeness, particularly during the early stages of fruit drop. This issue…

Insect pests can pose a major threat to agricultural crops in Malaysia, causing significant losses in yield and quality. Historically, Malaysian farmers have relied heavily on chemical pesticides to control these pests. However, the overuse of synthetic pesticides has led to a range of environmental and health concerns, including the development of pest resistance, contamination of soil and water, and risks to human and wildlife health. As Malaysia works to develop a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly agricultural sector, the use of natural predators to control insect pests is gaining increasing attention. Predatory insects, birds, and other animals can play a crucial role in managing pest populations through natural biological control mechanisms. This essay will explore how natural predators could be harnessed to protect crops from insect pests in Malaysia in…