Picking the best: Rosedi (left) helping customers choose Harumanis mangoes that he brings from Perlis inside his vehicle and sells near markets during the season in Pulau Tikus, Penang. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: The much-anticipated Harumanis mangoes are back but this year’s harvest has been affected by erratic weather, which slashed yields by more than half in some orchards.
Grown only in Perlis, the Harumanis fruits once a year between April and June.
Small traders like Rosedi Hamid, 58, who sells the fruit in Penang, said the current season had been one of the most unpredictable.
“The weather has gone awry. The last growing season saw periods with many hot days followed by unexpected thunderstorms,” said the former teacher from Perlis.
Rosedi said this spoiled the flowering season and with more erratic weather, some of the mangoes shrivel up while still attached to the trees.
“Temperatures can soar up to 36°C for a few hours in the afternoon.
“These short daily spikes of high temperature make our Harumanis trees flower abundantly,” he explained.
Perlis is considered the hottest state in Malaysia. An area called Chuping recorded 40.1°C in 1998, which is the highest temperature recorded nationally.
No thanks to the bad weather, Rosedi said the orchard where he collects the Harumanis from could have produced an estimated 12,000 fruits. But this season, it is expected to only produce about 4,000, he said.
Rosedi, however, said the specific locations and level of farmers’ care make a huge difference.
“I went to a small orchard with only 17 trees, which might produce 2,000 fruits,” he said, adding that those were meticulously cared for by villagers of Kampung Mata Ayer.
Rosedi has been selling Harumanis to Penangites for the last two years in Pulau Tikus, Batu Lanchang, and Island Glades.
He said he is delighted that Penangites appreciate the Harumanis mangoes even though it is known for being the “most expensive Malaysian mango”.
It retails between RM35 and RM55 a kilo, depending on size and quality, he said.
“There is a woman customer who would buy about RM1,000 worth of fruits from me and share with her friends and family.”
Rosedi noted that the best grades are snapped up by exporters who ship them to Japan, Singapore, China, and the United States.
For locals, he advised choosing Harumanis weighing about 450g each to get the richest flavours.
He said freshly bought Harumanis should be kept one to three days before eating.
“Once you can smell its tangy fragrance, it is ready to be eaten,” he said.
Lawyer Rowena Yam, who was spotted buying some mangoes from Rosedi, said she also bought from him last year.
“I cut one for my brother last year and after he ate it, he went hunting for more. So now we must have it every year,” she said.
