The Black Thorn, the Green Skin and the Musang King are the favourites this season.
Black Thorn, Green Skin and Musang King varieties found to be most popular
BALIK PULAU: Three durian varieties – the Black Thorn, the Green Skin and the Musang King – have remained the all-time favourites this season.
A visit to several orchards here showed that while most locals preferred the Green Skin (Cheh Phoy), foreigners took to the Musang King.
The Black Thorn, which is low in supply this season, is in high demand despite being sold at between RM50 and RM100 a kilo.
Durian Rumah Batu Balik Pulau owner Tan Hock Hoe, 41, said priced from RM30 a kilo, the Green Skin was the cheapest among the three.
“There is a high yield of Musang King because orchards started growing the variety four to five years ago.
“Currently, it is selling at about RM40 to RM70 a kilo in the market. I can forsee the Musang King going out of trend soon.
“However, the Black Thorn is quite limited in supply for now and is in high demand. People enjoy the bittersweet taste of the fruit,” said the third-generation orchard owner yesterday.
Lim Brothers Orchard spokesman Tham Siew Kean, 58, agreed that more people were demanding for the Black Thorn.
However, she said, her customers from China and Hong Kong would still want the Musang King.
With Chinese tourists making up a majority of her customers, Tham said durians in Balik Pulau might not be cheapest in the region but people knew of its good quality.
A visit to Durian Rumah Batu Balik Pulau in Sungai Pinang showed that tourists were enjoying the King of Fruits from as early as 10.30am.
A group of 20 Pantai Hospital Penang staff were spotted having a durian buffet as part of the firm’s initiative to treat its department heads.
Senior dietician Verora Lee, 30, said it was her first time having durians at an orchard as she usually bought them from stalls.