Malaysians feast as durian ‘tsunami’ slashes prices

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians flocked to fruit stalls on Wednesday for a slice of durian after a bumper harvest and oversupply of rejected export crops caused a sudden price drop in the notoriously pungent but expensive delicacy.
Aficionados packed food halls and roadside tents around Kuala Lumpur to make the most of the so-called “durian tsunami” that has seen prices of some premium quality fruit drop by as much as 90 per cent.
Found across Southeast Asia, the spiky fruit comes in many varieties and in Malaysia, the highly prized cultivar Musang King is consumed locally and exported, mainly to China.
Malaysia, which produces more than 550,000 tonnes of durian a year, is currently in its peak harvest season.
Reports said on Wednesday the price of Musang King durian had plummeted from around 90 ringgit ($22) per kg to as little as nine ringgit.
Other varieties, such as Black Thorn, have also dropped in price, according to local media reports.
“We learned from the industry that this year there would be a ‘Musang King tsunami’ — and this is indeed the case,” said Faisal Iswardi. — AFP