Rain dampens durian lovers’ parade

What could have been: Underdeveloped durians lying at the bottom of a tree, at an orchard in Balik Pulau. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star

Penang harvest looking bleak as chaotic weather batters orchards

BALIK PULAU: Durian lovers may be in for a disappointment this year, as Penang’s harvest is shaping up to be “the worst in the last 10 years” due to relentless rainfall causing premature falling of flowers and infection of growing fruits.

Continuous wet weather has created the perfect condition for mould and fungal infections to spread before the fruits can proper­ly mature and drop by mid-May.

Stone House orchard owner Tan Hock Hoe, 48, said the durian season might even be delayed.

“Many flowers are falling ­during storms before they can even be pollinated,” said the third-­generation farmer.

“The hot spells encourage good flowering, but then come the windy storms. About 95% of the first batch of flowers is gone – not just in my orchard, but at other orchards too. Even the apple-sized young fruits that usually survive at the top of the trees haven’t made it this time.”

Hock Hoe believes this year’s harvest could be the worst he has seen in a decade.

Barren branches: Empty durian flower stems seen after failing to become fruits, at an orchard in Balik Pulau.

“We are now pinning our hopes on the next flowering cycle this season,” he said.

Adding to the woes, he said persistent rain had led to more infections and pest attacks.

“It’s not just the durian trees. Mangosteen and nutmeg trees are also suffering, with mould growing on the surfaces of ripening fruits,” he said, adding that he had resorted to natural remedies like turmeric powder and wood vinegar to control mould.

Under normal conditions, Hock Hoe would harvest about 80 fruits per tree – but this year, he estimates a yield of only 20 to 30 fruits per tree.

Another durian orchard owner, Tan Chee Keat, 34, who cultivates thousands of durian trees across Penang’s Southwest district, ­echoed the struggles.

“The trees are adapting poorly to the weather swings,” he said.

“Sometimes it’s so dry that we have to water the trees using tanks scattered around the orchards – and then suddenly, it rains heavily. It’s been tough tending to them.”

Still, Chee Keat remains cautiously optimistic.

“Some of my trees are fruiting well, and I expect the durians to start falling soon, although the yield will likely be lower than last year’s,” he said.