Musang King durians have seen a dramatic price drop to as low as RM10 per kilogram, as a nationwide oversupply has eroded the variety’s premium status.
The surplus has forced many growers to bypass middlemen and sell directly to consumers at orchard fronts to sustain their businesses.
In Segamat, Johor, Che Tat Durian Segamat owner Muhamad Noriman Haikal Mohd Nazri, 25, said prices inevitably fell when supply exceeded demand. Orchards planted with Musang King in previous years are now producing fruit simultaneously.
“Musang King Grade A, which used to fetch between RM60 and RM75 per kg, has dropped to RM45–RM50,” he said. “Lower grades are being sold for as little as RM10 per kg, depending on quality and size.”
However, Noriman emphasised that the price drop does not reflect lower production costs. He said a single Musang King tree costs around RM600 annually, covering fertiliser, pesticides, water, labour, and maintenance.
Noriman added that Musang King may lose its exclusive status locally as consumers turn to other varieties such as Duri Hitam, Duri Jering Sembilan, or Tupai King.
In Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan, orchard owner Mun Jing Chew, 38, has shifted to roadside sales instead of selling solely to wholesalers. He is offering small Musang King durians at RM10 per kg. While daily sales reach about RM15,000, this only covers annual management costs estimated at RM200,000–RM300,000.
In Jerantut and Bentong, Grade C Musang King was selling for as low as RM11 per kg, while Grade B was priced at RM18 per kg.
Damak orchard owner Lim Kim Chooi, 62, said the oversupply, compounded by tiger stripe disease, triggered the price collapse. Lim, who manages 0.8 hectares of Musang King, added that fertilisation, pest control, and disease management remain costly. “With farm workers’ wages and other expenses, prices cannot fall below RM20 per kg without causing losses,” he said.
