The demand for durian is growing constantly in China, leading to dwindling supplies and higher prices in Malaysia and Singapore. While plantation owners in South-East Asia are delirious with delight at this growing trend, their faithful consumers in traditional markets are not so happy.
Because of the demand in China, supplies in both Singapore and its native Malaysia have fallen greatly, and prices have skyrocketed this year. Designer varieties, like the Musang King and D24 especially, have mostly been sent to China, leaving durian lovers in Singapore and Malaysia scrabbling for what's left.
"These are special trees that fruit in the equatorial foothills at about 1,000m above sea level.
They need cooler weather at night to set fruit after pollination by bats, and the best come from Pahang," says Eric Chew, who shifted his Malaysian durian sales operations to Guangzhou five years ago.
His company sells mainly Malaysian Musang King durians to China and has expanded with more carefully chosen plantation sites in Laos and Vietnam to meet Chinese demands for the fruit.
The most popular products in China are vacuum-packed, flash-frozen Musang King durian, as well as Sudan King and D24 frozen durian pulp, which is suitable for hotel bakeries and professional confectioneries.
In 2011, China lifted its restrictions on the import of Malaysian durian and demand from smaller retailers boomed.
It is for this section of the market that Chew decided to set up his base in Guangzhou, from where he directly serves clients from Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou.
Chew says that since 2011, the wholesale price of quality durian in China has risen from RM3 per kilogram to more than RM70. The current exchange rate is RM1 to 1.60 yuan.
The 20-fold increase is still continuing and, with supplies being limited, prices look likely to go up even more.
A quick check online shows that Chinese consumers are paying from 400 to 500 yuan for half a large durian, and about 350 on average for a 200g tub of ready-to-eat durian pulp.
(1 Chinese Yuan=0.15 USD)
See more at: news.asiaone.com.