Mid Year 2022

As reported in Malay Mail news portal, that durian prices will see a steep increase.

Extract from the article below:

JASIN, May 14 — Durian fans, especially those who love premium varieties like Musang King and Black Thorn, will have to deal with an expected 100 per cent price increase during this year’s durian season.

Deputy Agriculture and Food Industry Minister I Datuk Seri Ahmad Hamzah said the price hike was due to a 50 per cent drop in durian production due to weather conditions.

“We believe that the rainy season at the end of March to April has impacted the pollination of durian, which impacts the number of fruits.

Too much rainfall and strong wind impacts pollination.  This is not just during the pollination period but also during early stages of fruition.

The repeated heavy rain and flooding in Malaysia (referring to Weather Report between late 2021 till recent) will reduce fruition extensively.

Extract on most current report :

Pahang, Malaysia

Event Date : Tue, 10 May 2022

AHADID : AHA-FL-2022-000550-MYS | GLIDE Number:

Impact Update Date : Tue, 10 May 2022 14:07:53

AFFECTED AREA/S

Bentong

DESCRIPTION

Heavy rainfall has been affecting southeastern Peninsular Malaysia (in particular the Pahang State) since 10 May, causing floods that have resulted in evacuations and damage. Media report, as of 12 May, around 100 evacuated people and nearly 150 damaged houses across the Bentong District (north-east of the Kuala Lumpur area, Pahang State). Over the next 24 hours, more heavy rainfall with locally very heavy rainfall is forecast over the whole of Peninsular Malaysia.

As we are in the early season, and with this rainfall, it just gets me wondering on the quality.  Having spoken to a durian seller last week, he shared that the quality is only 50% yield per basket.

I'll hold my fangs... not much craving for durians in the last 2 years due to lower quality.

P/S : Heng ah, I still have a lot of frozen durian puree in the freezer... and i'm not sharing with anyone/everyone.

------------update 20/06/22--------------

As reported in the news article recently, durian prices in Singapore drop due to surprised bumper crop.  It was mentioned in the article, the recent rain caused durians to drop earlier.

In the past, most durian consumers are familiar with the notion that rain induced durian supply are usually not so ideal.  Well, I don't know, I haven't eaten this batch of durian yet.

I would think this current softening of price will last only till late June 2022.

In recent years, my passion for durian has dipped tremendously.  I find the taste and flavour to be massively lacking compared to mid 2000s.  

Easily 8 out of 10 times I got to try MSW, it disappoints so much, I end up referring it as, wasted calories, or the stomach is full but the soul is empty!  It's THAT BAD!

I'll consider eating it over the next couple of weeks, but not craving for it any bit.

Just recalled another post I did on End of Cheap Durians (due to demand of the Chinese Market) few years ago.  This recent bumper supply won't last, but it has proven a point, that the chinese market may have helped durian growers to sell to China at better price, but they are not masters of nature.

 

2021 Year End Season & Some Insider

Durian season started about 2 weeks ago.  How many have sunken their teeth into the exotic fruit?

Early Season - My First Scandal 

During first week, most durians are MSW.  About half the durian are noticed to come with burnt seeds.  Quality wise, it was not linked to the burnt seeds.  

I just tried a B grade MSW last night and here's my thoughts.

Size : Approx 1.2kg

Quantity : 7 seeds

Review : The smell did appeal to me thus I decided this piece out of 2 I picked out of the lot.  Color of flesh was quite consistent, no uneven ripeness.  Texture is soft on press, yet not  overly soft till approaching runny, the texture that I tends to like, as it is an indication of the taste.

It taste bitter sweet, with a nice lingering aroma up the nostril.  Coming to texture during consumption, there is a bit of uneven softness I must say.  So that does take a bit of points off.  Of the 7 seeds, 5 were small, 2 were full seeds.

I am definitely not one who believes in seed size having significance on the quality, nor am I really bothered about burnt seeds.  

Overall, I would give it a 7/10.  That is good enough for early season.  I'll be back to do another taste test again in the coming days or week.

In-Season  19/11/21 

A quick glance as I went past some durian stalls, seems like most are selling MSW.  Upon checking, D24 is in stock, but the quality is not up to par yet.  A lot of uneven ripeness.  So, hold your gun (mouth I mean).

I tends to favour Pahang's year end D24.  Rainfall are more ample for year end season, thus tends to be less unevenly ripe (but not sure why the early supply is uneven) while mid year, if I go for D24, it has to be Johor's supply.

I had written before, about weather/rainfall and durians, and why I gathered, that mid year (Johor) and year end (Pahang) D24 are better, and not interchanged. 

A Little Insider

Pahang was faced with quite a lot of rainfall during flowering and early fruiting period.  These are not good for durian.  That partly explains the unevenness of texture (it is not uneven ripeness, but just texture) and also burnt seeds.  Another possible cause was over fertilized trees.

Plantation operators are at the mercy of weather.  Consumers at mercy of price.  It's fair.  Plantation operators takes a huge risk.  Retailers takes the direct sales risk.  Consumers mainly faces price fluctuation.  After all, durians are not factory produced products.

Have also been observing retailers selling promo bundle deals of whole durians, at a very glaring price eg 10kg MSW at $200, or even 10kg 'B' MSW at $160.  What many are not aware is, the so called higher price illustrated here, is actually larger sized 'B' MSW while the lower price one is still B but lower grade B (eg 3 sides).  Yes, even within each grade, it is further segregated, like B+ and B-.  

Currently, retailers cannot be selling 'A' grade MSW at $20/kg, as it is very near their cost.  Where's their profit?  Operating a retail business is very high cost and high risk.  I'll not be gullible to blindly believe they will sell A grade MSW at such a price.  However, gimmicks are very attractive and will attract a lot of spenders because consumers are always on the lookout for good bargain.  I'll leave it as that.

I'll need to kneel on durian shells for exposing the insiders.

Harmless Lust

I've not had good D101 for a really really long time, and not expecting to try it.  But I won't hesitate feasting on D101 if it's good.

But I've always had this special lust for a good Tekka.  It's not like, the best durian, texture is usually fibrous/grainy but it's an hard to explain fettish.  Wasted.  Mid year season, I saw some good Tekka but didn't try it.  What gotten into me?  Maybe the monkey took my brain away.

So for this season, let's hope I can get to try some (1) Tekka, hopefully I get impressed with good old (2) some real XO Durian, (3) D24 XO, if some crustaceans swims to me (4) Red Prawns.  

LUST but not least, I need to wash it down with more beer (or a good whiskey... oh man, I visited a whiskey bar recently and had some good whiskey but it's a bit costly tho).  Anyone buying?

Mid Year 2021 Season

I've not been consuming much durians, as it is mostly wasted calories.  Why did I say that?  The quality are sub standard.

A lot of consumers seeks MSW and the recent years 'new' variants, Black Gold and Black Thorns.

Don't get me wrong, I did hear, these 2 variants are available much further up North.  But almost every stall selling it in Singapore?  Gotta be kidding me.  I'm not buying that 

A few observations in recent weeks.

1.  Supplies

Among the many variants available includes MSW, D24, D13, Red Prawns, Jing Feng (Golden Phoenix), Tekka (Green Bamboo), Tai Yuen (Black Pearl), and the 'Black Gold' and 'Black thorns', etc.

2.  Quality

I've tried Red Prawn and MSW only, and I rather go for Red Prawn.

MSW supply are really really disappointing.  Either too dry or too wet.  Taste wise, not even 50% of what I expect from a good MSW.

Oh, and the 'Black Gold' and 'Black Thorns'......  Can i just eat charcoal?  Charcoals are black, and it's authentic you know!  I'm almost having a mental diarrhea after all.

3.  Names names names

Nvm that black thing.... maybe black magic.

Was at the durian stall, and heard twice from different people, that proves a point.  Many consumers eats words and not durians.

What happened was, a couple pointed out at the sign board that had 2 variants printed, Red Prawns and D24, and they wanted D24.  The pile of durian above the board isn't huge, and there was not a single D24.

Another couple, saw a board with more than 10 names, and wanted 1 of it, and that too wasn't available as the whole pile was MSW.

Anyone eating durians?  I don't have an appetite to eat words.  I'm illiterate!

4.  MSW

Ok if I've to consume it.....

MSW are currently graded A, AB, B and C.  Not everyone knows what it actually means.  Yes?

Grade A are the top grade ones, not in terms of taste and quality but shape and size.

Grade AB is the in between of A and B obviously.

Grade B are still quite large, or should I just equate as, medium size, but usually comes with lesser sides and seeds.

Grade C are in a sense, premature.  They are small.

If I've to consume MSW, I rather go for Grade B.  A rather decent size, yet with less sides and seeds.  

I am a believer that the amount of nutrients that goes to each fruit is 'divided' to each seeds.  If a durian has 10 seeds, each seed receives 10%, while a durian with 5 seeds receives double.  Its just theory, unproven.  But that's the durians I preferred.