PRODUCING DURIAN DURING NON-DURIAN SEASON: A HARDWORKING COUPLE’S SECRET

There are always ups and downs during every durian season. So, how do we farmers maintain the ups and do away with the downs?

Durian is affected by the biggest external factor—climate. Farmers in the same area usually experience similar season and the quality of their output are roughly the same. However, there are certain farmers who can produce excellent durians in terms of quantity and quality, which may seem bizarre to the surrounding farmers.

Lam Heng Cheong, who owns a 7-acres durian orchard in Bentong, Pahang, is one of them. He manages the orchard with his wife, Jess Chong. The two of them work together to manage about 7 acres of land without any workers. Their hard work and endurance are definitely admirable. “Recently, the pandemic has caused a shortage of workers. As such, only a handful of foreign workers are involved. Even if there