THE Sungai Ara durian belt is one of Penang’s best-kept secrets, producing premium fruits that rival those from its more famous neighbour, Balik Pulau.
Sungai Ara Small Farmers Association chairman Kenny Soong Joon Sin said the current durian season was drawing to a close, with the next harvest only expected next April.
“Just the Black Thorn variety is still in season and it is expected to be available for just another few days.”
According to him, about 150 smallholders cultivate some 730ha of durian orchards in the area, with many lowering prices to clear their remaining harvest.
“Prices this season have fallen by about 40% compared with last year.
“Black Thorn is selling for RM30 to RM40 per kg, while kampung durians are fetching just RM3 to RM4 per kg, which is below production cost,” he said.
Earlier, Soong hosted about 500 participants at Xuan Wu Temple during the Sungai Ara Hiking and Durian Feast, an event aimed at promoting the area’s premium durian and agrotourism.
Now in its third year, the event featured a 3.5km hike through Sungai Ara’s durian orchards before participants tucked into a feast of Black Thorn durian.
Participants paid RM40 to take part, with whole Musang King, Black Thorn and Tupai King durians among the special draw prizes.
Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin, who organised the event, said many people associated Penang durian with Balik Pulau.
“But Sungai Ara, in the same mountain range, produced fruits of comparable, if not superior, quality.”
“The smallholders know every tree and every fruit.
“They use pesticides only when necessary, and sparingly.
“That is why Sungai Ara durians are known for their quality,” he said.
Drawing on his experience as a former deputy agriculture and food industries minister, Sim said this year’s bumper harvest, coupled with weaker demand from China, had pushed prices down sharply.
“Premium varieties such as Musang King cost about RM18 per kg to produce but have recently been selling for RM9 to RM10 per kg,” he said.
Sim urged growers to diversify into downstream products such as durian jam, cakes and biscuits to reduce their reliance on fresh fruit sales, while expanding durian tourism.
He also called for premium local varieties such as Tupai King and Tian Song, both originating from Sungai Ara, to be registered under Malaysia’s Geographical Indication (GI) system.
“If Tupai King is registered as a GI from Sungai Ara, no one else in the world can use that name.
“That is how European countries protect and market their premium agricultural products,” he said.
Tupai King was officially registered by the Agriculture Department as cultivar D214 (Tupai 226) in 2021.
Known for its creamy, bittersweet flesh and limited supply, it is among Malaysia’s most sought-after durian varieties and typically commands higher prices than Musang King and Black Thorn.
Tian Song, loosely translated as “Gift from Heaven”, is another premium Sungai Ara variety prized for its rich, intensely bittersweet flavour.
