Durian season starts earlier, fruits 'more concentrated in flavour and creamier': Penang retailers

Durian lovers in Singapore and Malaysia can get ready to tuck into their king of fruits with the durian season now underway in Malaysia following prolonged hot weather and dry spells earlier this year.

According to Malaysian media reports, the varieties which have hit the streets are the D604, Lipan and the Musang King. 

The D604 is a popular hybrid durian, also known to be one of the earliest to drop. 

For the uninitiated, the D604 is a fairly young variant originating from Balik Pulau in Penang. It purportedly hit the market in 1987 and often weighs more than 2kg. 

Durian seller Ang Hock Leng, 63, told The Star that the lack of rain this year has made the fruit more concentrated in flavour and creamier. He also expects the season to last longer.

According to Ang, even though the season has just begun, the fruits that have reached the market are just as good and tasty, adding that many people remain unaware that the season has started early.

The varieties which have gone on sale are the D604, Lipan, Lipan Bara, Yellow Ginger, Capri, D600 and Musang King, said Ang.

He expects other popular varieties such as the Red Prawn and Hor Lor to take another two to three weeks to reach the market.

The D604 is currently priced at about RM25 (S$8) per kilogram, while the price of the more premium Musang King ranges from RM38 to RM58 per kilogram.

Checks by AsiaOne indicate that popular Singapore durian outlets such as 99 Old Trees Durian in Chinatown, Fruit Monkey Durian in Yishun, and Combat Durian in Balestier have limited quantities of durian, with the season expected to go into full swing in Singapore sometime in early May.

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editor@asiaone.com