National Durian Vol. 12

The blossom of durians is highly associated with the climate. This is similar to the blooming season of Japanese cherry blossoms which is constant every year. Durian flowers begin at the bud initiation process. It then takes about 6 months to produce fruits, develop and finally harvest them. This is why durians are usually harvested and made available in the middle of every year at all parts of Malaysia, which called the durian season. The dry season each year is the main determinant that promotes durian blooms. However, the main concern during the blooming period is rain. This is especially true if it rains at night as it has a more serious impact on the flowers. After all, durians can only be pollinated at night. In addition to climate, other…

The D145 durian variety which is a household name in Kuantan has always been the talk of the town because of its high price. SEncik Mohamad Faidzullah, who is a durian farmer in Beserah, Pahang mainly cultivates the D145 durian variety. “I sell freshly picked D145 durians from my orchard directly to my customers. The pricing generally starts at RM50 per kilogram and the bare minimum I can offer is RM40 per kilogram,” Encik Mohamad Faidzullah said. Although the price of this particular durian variety has reached a record of no less than RM40 per kilogram, the market for D145 durians still face a shortage of supply. Its demand is so high that there is not enough supply for the durian market outside of Beserah such as big cities like…

There is an inherent timing mechanism during the growth process - it has the ability to absorb the external environment to induce flowering until a certain period of time. This means that plants can only be induced to bloom during the right season. As for the main characteristics of seasonal changes, the temperature and the length of sunshine can be very subjective. “According to observations, the ability for plants to bloom is closely related to the temperature and the length of sunshine.” Choon Thin Yat said. Choon Thin Yat has been researching in the field of agriculture in various parts of Malaysia for a long time. His travels around the country have prompted him to have a set of insights on durian cultivation. He believes that in order to produce…

There are always ups and downs during every durian season. So, how do we farmers maintain the ups and do away with the downs? Durian is affected by the biggest external factor—climate. Farmers in the same area usually experience similar season and the quality of their output are roughly the same. However, there are certain farmers who can produce excellent durians in terms of quantity and quality, which may seem bizarre to the surrounding farmers. Lam Heng Cheong, who owns a 7-acres durian orchard in Bentong, Pahang, is one of them. He manages the orchard with his wife, Jess Chong. The two of them work together to manage about 7 acres of land without any workers. Their hard work and endurance are definitely admirable. “Recently, the pandemic has caused a…

Soh Hoi Lun’s orchard which is located in Segamat, Johor, covers an area of about 8 acres. He disclosed that the reason for cutting down his Fu Ming 13 durian trees is not because this durian variety is doing badly. He believes that it is more ideal to use it as a grafting rootstock for Musang King or Oichi durians since they are more profitable and it is worth all the trouble. “In just 2 to 3 years, new seedlings have grown rapidly when I began using Fu Ming 13 as rootstock. Nevertheless, I still take good care of the lower branches of the Fu Ming 13 rootstock. In this way, I am able to harvest Musang King or Oichi at the higher branches, and Fu Ming 13 durians at…

Most durian varieties are adapted to tropical countries. However, a climate with high temperature and humidity also engenders pathogenic issues. Hot and arid seasons, on the other hand, bring about insect pest issues. Insects, microorganisms “Brother Lai, what remedy should I use for this tree?” A familiar durian farmer stood by the agrochemical cabinet, showing me a picture of his durian tree on his mobile phone. Obviously, this farmer is here to purchase an agrochemical. I am sharing the following picture to encourage discussions among the readers. Dear readers, what do you think is the issue here? What agrochemicals are to be used? Based on this picture, we can make a deduction (unhealthy tree). However, the reason a tree is unhealthy is difficult to judge based on a picture alone.…