T’ganu crowns rare ‘copper king’ from Bukit Kemuning

Hassim harvesting Durian Tembaga Bukit Kemuning from the one remaining tree at his orchard in Kijal.

Durian Tembaga Bukit Kemu­ning originating from Bukit Kemuning in Kijal, is among the finest durian in Terengganu, with the potential to rival popular varieties such as Musang King and Black Thorn, a proponent says.

Orchard owner Hassim Ibrahim said the fruit’s thick flesh, combined with a rich, slightly bitter, creamy taste and distinctive aroma, set it apart from other varieties in the state.

He said the Durian Tembaga Bukit Kemuning tree in his orchard, now over 20 years old, was believed to be the only surviving tree of this variety in Bukit Kemuning, which is home to approximately 100 durian growers with a total orchard area of about 150ha.

“I bought this orchard of over 1ha six years ago.

The rare variety is said to have thick flesh with a rich, slightly bitter, creamy taste and a distinctive aroma.

“It also has other local durian varieties, but the unique flavour of Durian Tembaga Bukit Kemuning makes it a top choice,” he told Bernama when met at his orchard.

Hassim said the fruit’s unique and exquisite taste earned it the Best Durian title at a competition held in conjunction with a community programme in the area.

The event was launched by state tourism, culture, environment and climate change committee chairman and Kijal assemblyman Datuk Razali Idris.

Hassim said he was grateful that nearly all of his 30 durian trees, including the Durian Tembaga Bukit Kemuning, had produced a bountiful harvest this season after being barren for the past four years.

He attributed this development to the use of several types of fertiliser supplied by Terengganu State Agriculture Department to durian growers in the area over the past two years.

“Although there is only one, this Durian Tembaga Bukit Kemuning tree has produced over 200 fruits, allowing me to sell them at RM8.50 per kilogramme,” Hassim said.

Meanwhile, Razali shared that during the 1980s and 1990s, durian from Bukit Kemuning were renowned nationwide and highly sought-after.

In light of that, he said the state government aimed to restore the popularity of Bukit Kemuning durian by tasking the department with conducting research to produce more seeds for propagation and commercial cultivation.

“I believe Durian Tembaga Bukit Kemuning has significant potential to be promoted as a signature durian variety of Terengganu.

“If the seed propagation is effective, this variety can be cultivated more extensively with the potential to become an agritourism product to draw more visitors to Bukit Kemuning,” he added.