Large scale Durian planting in Malaysia

Durians originally originates from the jungle of the tropical Asia. The origin of species was known to be from the Borneo Island,  Peninsular  Malaysia and Sumatra. There are many about 5 families of durio species found there i. D zibethenus, D. graveolens, D oxyleanus, D kutenjensis and D. graffiti. (?).

As durians are brought to open field for cultivation for domestication, they need the necessary requirement for growth. Formerly durians are grown from seeds by villagers or kampong people. Selections of good durians were made though natural selection where durians perform excellently at various localities in the states. There is why in Malaysia , we had almost 200 clones registered. 

In the 70's durians are not popular where prices only fetched around 50 sen pe kg or about 10 cents USD. I remembered in the 80's the price of durians was about 20 sen and clonal durians costed about RM2 to 3 especially D24. Since then, Malaysia concentrated its agriculture growth more on oil palms and rubber. Most of the FELDA scheme were planted by these crops.

The earliest research of durian in Malaysia was done by MARDI that takes about 30 years to produce clonal durians through proper plant breeding techniques by crossing and backcrossing procedures. People might asked why it takes so long to produce a single clone?. The process is tedious and slow where you have to find the true paternal and maternal parents which are distributed around the country. After pain staking steps been carried out through crossing, selection, GxE trials finally a few clones come out good like MDUR 78, MDUR 88 etc.

As time went on, people aware of its potentials  not only consume  as fresh but other products too like powder. There is a very large market to be tapped. Also there is technology that MARDI produced like "minimally processed" and deep freeze. It can be exported to any where in the world .

The taste of Malaysia durians are very different from Thai durians. Thai durians are sweet, and flat in taste, less odour and very 'full' when eating. Unlike Malaysian durians are sweet durian smell, sticky and irresistible when eating. It measn that it  they are so good or attractive that you cannot stop yourself from liking them or wanting them. See I want mean?. I can only eat one pulp of Thai durians but not Malaysian ones , oh its too yummy..

Lately I am involved in large scale durian planting. Wow , there a lot challenges, unexpectations and whats not. Large scale planting needs a professional to do the planning right from land suitability to marketing aspects. Agronomic practices, pest and diseases control and plant establishment at early start are the most crucial. What I mean is that to plant 1000 acres is not as easy to plant 1 acre, or 10 acres. In  large scale planting, even its  planting in one locality, the problems encountered is not the same because the heterogeny of the soils. In addition to plant durians in the fields that formerly from the jungle is not similar to plants durians from oil palms.