BY: Zaki Salleh
IPOH – Durians are synonymous with the people of Perak, regardless of their backgrounds and ethnicities.
The king of fruits is highly cherished, even becoming an obsession among its enthusiasts.
It’s almost a necessity for every household in the villages to have several durian trees, making the sight of them common in Perak.
Believe it or not, Perak is also the largest producer of kampung (village-style) durian in Malaysia, showcasing the uniqueness of Perak’s durians compared to those from other states.
Noorsham Ramly, the Director of the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) Perak, mentioned that kampung durians are also the most sought-after seasonal fruit in the state.
According to him, FAMA markets an average of 70 metric tonnes of durians per season through farmers’ markets and strategic farming partners.
“This is just the amount marketed by FAMA, but the actual figure is much larger as kampung durians are usually sold directly by orchard owners and growers.
Most of the kampung durians in Perak come from old trees or heirloom trees that have been planted for decades.
These older trees are said to produce more delicious durians compared to cloned durians.
This is what makes Perak’s kampung durians special and distinct from durians in other states, such as Raub,” he stated to Ipoh Echo.
The durian season in Perak falls around late June or early July.
Notable areas for producing kampung durians in Perak are Batu Kurau, Kuala Kangsar, and Mualim.
Residents here own orchards with around 80 kampung durian trees, each capable of yielding up to 200 fruits at once.
Last year, the Perak government planned to establish Batu Kurau and Selama areas as hubs for blackthorn durians and cloned durians.
The state government’s focus was to elevate Batu Kurau’s kampung durians to the level of popularity achieved by cloned durians.
Noorsham also mentioned that besides durians, other seasonal fruits in high demand in Perak include mangosteen, rambutan, langsat, and honey guava.
These fruits are part of the agro-food products that FAMA assists traders in marketing.
As one of the agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, FAMA plays a role in expanding the market size of agro-food products and increasing producers’ income.
Noorsham further stated, “FAMA also ensures that agricultural products and food industry goods are available and affordable for consumers.”
