If there’s one fruit that unites Malaysians, it’s definitely the spiky and pungent durian. Not only is it loved by locals, but also by foreigners brave enough to take on its overpowering stench.
While most of us can recite the types of durians without batting an eye, how well do you know about the process that occurs at a farm before it’s sold to customers?
WeirdKaya spoke to Jelena Lau about the blood, sweat, and tears durian farmers invest into growing these finger-prickling fruits, along with her hopes for the local durian industry.
Time is money
During the durian season, farmers will collect the fruits from their plantation at around 6.30 am before selling them to retailers setting off to major cities like Kuala Lumpur at 10 am.
“The first batch of durians has a higher demand and can be sold at a better price. Thus, most farmers will try to collect and sell as much as they can.
“Although most durians are sold out in the morning, the farmers will usually keep a portion for themselves, where they would cut it open and freeze its pulp before packing it for delivery.
“The reason for this is because packaged durians fetch more income and last longer,” Jelena explains, adding that sometimes her family would execute the packaging process themselves.
While most farmers would call it a day at 5 pm, there are some days where they would work overtime if there are too much durians to work on.
A labour of love
Even when Malaysians aren’t hankering for durians, there is still plenty of effort that’s being put into taking care of the durian tree.
“Durian trees are at their most vulnerable after the harvesting season, so extra care is needed.
“Farmers will need to look out for any signs of illness or parasitic insects and plants growing on the trees,” says Jelena.
Contrary to common belief, there is a cycle of fertilization, irrigation, and pest control that farmers need to abide by before using pesticides.
This cycle also has to be in accordance with external factors such as the weather and the tree’s condition.
“For instance, we would avoid putting fertilizers before it rains so that it won’t be flushed away.
“We would also avoid irrigating after applying pesticide so that it can have a better effect,” she says.
According to Jelena, every farmer has his own “secret” method in taking care of durian trees.
It is a very delicate process that several generations have explored with and developed.”
“The future is bright”
After graduating from high school in 2020, Jelena was unwillingly drawn into the turbulence of the pandemic like everyone else.
Refusing to embark on an online university journey, she decided to take on her family business and learn from her father the method in caring for a durian plantation.
Photo courtesy of Jelena Lau.
“It can be quite tiring at times as there’s a lot of physical activity such as walking up steep slopes in the forest and carrying durians.
“But during harvest time, the scene of durians piling up in the truck will never cease to satisfy me. Plus, our cravings for durian is never a problem!” she exclaimed.
Jelena also believes that the future is bright for Malaysia’s durian industry despite the current situation.
“The refrigerated transport industry is advancing fast in our country, allowing us to export our durians to countries like China, where the demand is greater than ever.
As the industry develops as a whole, we can discover more international markets and continue to upscale the local durian industry.”
Cover image courtesy of Jelena.
Author: Raymond Chen
Proofreader: Sarah Yeoh
