Musang King durians can now be bought for up to 50 per cent cheaper than usual in Penang, Malaysia.

According to The Star, oversupply in the market and the Covid-19 outbreak has seen durian prices drop by 20 to 50 per cent.

In what is expected to be a high yield in this mid-year's durian season, Penang-based durian trader Tan Chee Heck told The Star that a kilo of Musang King is priced between RM24 (S$8) and RM33 (S$11).

That's in contrast to the usual price which would normally set you back RM55 (S$18.40).

Tan said that his business's export orders have dropped by 70 per cent since Chinese New Year.

His biggest export market is China.

Lack of tourism

Another cause for the drop in prices has been the lack of tourism to Penang.

"People dare not travel for fear of getting infected," Tan told The Star before explaining that favourable weather conditions have led to a bountiful durian harvest.

Another durian trader, who only wanted to be known as Mr Lim, told The Star that his Durian Central stall on Penang's Macalister Rd had seen a 50 per cent drop in customers.

Lim added that his customers were usually from China, Indonesia, Singapore, and Hong Kong, while some of them were cruise passengers.

No coincidence then, since all the sources of tourism — bar Indonesia — are currently locked in battles to contain Covid-19 outbreaks.

Furthermore, Lim said that locals did not usually eat durians outside of the regular durian season — May, June, and July in Penang.

Local customers in the off-season are likely to be bringing friends from overseas for a local experience, he said.

Top image by Jim Teo via Unsplash