Crowds Rush for Cheap Durians
Durian lovers across Malaysia are making the most of an unusually affordable harvest after prices for the country’s favourite fruit plunged to record lows, with some ordinary durians selling for as little as 50 sen (about S$0.16) each.
The dramatic price drop has triggered a buying frenzy, with videos circulating on Facebook and Threads showing long queues, overflowing baskets and shoppers leaving with bags packed full of durians.
One widely shared Facebook video by Durian Seladang advertised durians at just 50 sen per fruit, while another promotion offered 10kg for RM50, attracting crowds eager to stock up before supplies ran out.
At a market in Bangi, Selangor, shoppers could be seen grabbing pink plastic bags before rushing towards newly arrived durians. In another viral Threads clip, one customer described how an orderly queue quickly turned chaotic once fresh stock appeared.
Nationwide Harvest Creates Oversupply
The unusually low prices are being driven by an exceptional harvest season.
According to Malaysia’s Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA), nearly all major durian-producing states entered peak harvesting between June and August, flooding the local market with fruit at the same time.
The agency said many younger orchards are now producing export-grade varieties, particularly Musang King. However, not every fruit meets the quality standards required for overseas markets such as China and Singapore, leaving far more durians to be sold domestically.
The result has been a supply glut that pushed farm-gate prices for kampung durians down to as low as RM1 per kilogram, while retail prices have also fallen sharply.
Premium Musang King has been spotted selling for between RM9 and RM15 per kilogram, while popular varieties such as IOI (D168) and Red Prawn (D175) have dropped to around RM2 per fruit.
Vendors Launch Bulk Promotions
With durians ripening faster than they can be sold, many vendors have turned to creative promotions to clear their stock before it spoils.
Some stalls now allow customers to handpick their own fruits and pay by the piece, while others charge by the bag instead of by weight.
Photos and videos online show buyers stuffing large plastic bags and even gunny sacks with durians. Some promotions let customers fill an entire sack for RM100, while others sold packed bags for as little as RM20 to RM40.
Despite the steep discounts, sellers have insisted that the fruit’s quality has remained largely unchanged.
Because durians have an extremely short shelf life, vendors say selling them cheaply is often preferable to watching unsold stock rot and become a complete loss.
Could Singapore See Lower Prices Too?
The bumper harvest is already having an impact beyond Malaysia.
Singapore importers have also reported lower wholesale prices, although the savings have been more modest because of transport, import and operating costs.
Recent reports indicate that Mao Shan Wang prices in Singapore have eased from around S$28 per kilogram earlier this year to about S$20 per kilogram, though retailers say prices are unlikely to match those seen across the Causeway.
Meanwhile in Malaysia, FAMA has stepped in to help stabilise the market by expanding direct farm sales, opening temporary collection centres, increasing fruit processing into durian paste and seeking new export opportunities in countries including Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the Maldives.
For now, however, Malaysian consumers appear to be the biggest winners, with many calling this one of the cheapest durian seasons in recent memory.
More from Wake Up Singapore:-
Hungry Monkey’s Daylight Durian Heist From Pickup Truck Stuns Malaysian Onlookers
Guest at Bangkok Hotel Shocked to be Fined Almost S$200 Over Durian
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