DECIPHERING DURIAN PROCESSING THEY ARE NO LONGER A MYSTERY

Malaysia has a well developed plantation industry. Unfortunately the downstream sector is lagging behind. Presently, durian is at its peak performance, if durian cultivation run parallel with downstream activities, the future of durians could be as bright as oil palm.

Since durian is a seasonal fruit, local durian farmers had improved their cultivation methods to increase production year round in order to meet the huge demands from the Chinese market. Most Chinese durian enthusiasts are not only keen in having fresh durians but they are also showing great interest in durian downstream products. As a result, it is now possible to expect three to four harvests per year.

Keeping this in mind, one should next focus on ways to strengthen downstream product development. To our benefit, after all these years, we are quite familiar and accustomed to the Malaysian taste buds. As for