Chopping forests to plant durians like killing goose that lays golden eggs

PETALING JAYA: Durian farmers are "shooting themselves in the foot" if they continue to clear the forest for durian plantations, conservation groups said.

A total of 36 conservationists co-signed a statement on Thursday (Oct 25) said destroying wildlife habitats will reduce the number of durian fruit pollinators, which will directly influence the quantity and quality of durian fruit yields.

They are raising concerns over durians as the new monoculture crop driving further deforestation and biodiversity loss in Malaysia.

Rimba president Dr Sheema Abdul Aziz said the durian tree cannot self-pollinate, and is thus dependent on wild animal pollinators to cross-pollinate with other plants of the same species.

She said research shows that the only truly efficient natural durian tree pollinators are fruit bats, especially the giant fruit bats known as flying foxes (Pteropus hypomelanus and Pteropus vampyrus), as well as Cave Nectar Bats (Eonycteris spelaea).

These bats are essential to the sustainability of the durian industry.

However they are severely threatened by hunting and uncontrolled limestone quarrying, she said.

"Any further removal of their forest habitat and food resources will continue to reduce the effectiveness of their role in durian fruit production," Dr Sheema, who is Malaysia's sole flying fox ecologist, said.

She said insect pollinators like the Asian Giant Honeybee (Apis dorsata) can serve as secondary pollinators in areas with no bat pollinators, but they are also highly dependent on pristine rainforest habitats for their survival.

"Therefore, destroying pollinator habitats and food resources in order to establish durian monoculture simply does not make good business sense," she said.

"Companies that engage in this practice are prematurely destroying the very future profits that they hope to derive from their durian business in the first place."

"In the absence of our native, natural pollinators of durian trees, farmers would have to invest extra time, labour, and money to hand-pollinate their trees," she added.

Increasing the cost of durian production will ultimately increase the retail price of durians for consumers.

Beyond wildlife loss, Dr Sheema said durian plantation expansion is also causing landslides in hillslope areas and is threatening the livelihoods and traditions of Orang Asli communities.

Rimba called on the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry, the wider durian inudstry and durian farmers to think long-term.

This involves pursuing good agricultural practices for growing durians that are sustainable and contribute to healthy ecosystems.

One suggested practice is to create durian orchards on former agricultural land rather than clearing forests.

Another suggestion is to avoid pure monocropping (just planting durians) but instead to mix it with other fruit trees.

Low-impact and organic practices should also be used for pest and tree management, she said.

Dr Sheema said that the long-term viability of our local durian industry can only happen by ensuring the survival of crucial pollinator species.

This statement follows The Star's exclusive report on how China's demand for durians have led to widespread land clearing and open burning in the Hulu Sempam area in Raub, Pahang.