SINGAPORE: Premium durians that come with a digital proof of authenticity are being offered by a new local seller, which aims to stand out amid an oversupply of the fruit and plunging prices.
Charging S$45 for a 400g box of dehusked durians, AGONG Durian lets customers scan a QR code on the packaging to check which orchard the durians are from, and whether they belong to the Mao Shan Wang or Black Thorn variety.
The tamper-resistant record of provenance details, which also include the contact details and exact location of the orchard, is displayed on a webpage.
This gives customers the ability to independently verify the origin of the durians that they pay a premium for, said Quek Wei Ling, chief operating officer of e-commerce firm Synagie, the parent company of AGONG Durian.
The brand made its official debut on July 9 at Thomson Plaza. The event saw around 80 guests feast on boxes of Grade A durians from Raub, Pahang, in Malaysia.
“Raub is known to be the capital of Mao Shan Wang durians (and) provides the ideal climate for (their) growth,” said Quek.
She added that as durians from the Malaysian town tend to fetch a higher price, some sellers have made false claims about durian origins.
To combat this, blockchain technology is used to detail the extensive journey of each box of durians from farm to table, serving as a transparent digital ledger linking chronological transactions.
The immutable nature of blockchain is also used for tracking the movement of goods along a supply chain, and as proof of ownership of digital collectibles such as art and gaming assets.
“The process begins at the orchard, where trained inspectors verify whether the fruit is Mao Shan Wang or Black Thorn,” said Chew Kian Kok, chief executive of blockchain solutions firm Masverse, which provides the technology that powers AGONG’s tracking system.
Each durian tree is assigned a unique digital identity, which carries information such as the durian variety and orchard of origin.
The registration details and any supporting documentation of the orchard are also verified and digitally recorded on the blockchain, creating “a tamper-resistant record that cannot be altered without leaving a trace”, said Chew.
The premium price point of AGONG’s durians also comes with the promise that customers will receive a Grade A product – referring to durians that weigh at least 1kg, have a nice round shape, and a 20 per cent to 25 per cent yield of flesh. - The Straits Times/ANN
