BALIK PULAU: The durian season in Balik Pulau usually begins in May but this year, the king of fruits have started to drop during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period.
As a result, durian orchard owners are looking for alternative ways to market and sell the fruits, including through WhatsApp and WeChat mobile messaging applications.
In compliance with the MCO, sellers are also providing delivery services for their customers.
Bao Sheng Durian Orchard owner Chang Teik Seng, 53, said he could get 20 durian varieties from the 300 trees planted in his orchard in Sungai Pinang here.
“I have been selling durians for over 30 years. I expected the durians to fall from early May until July.
“Although durian lovers cannot come to my orchard to feast this season, fret not. We will provide delivery service.
“I’m producing durians organically here. They are free from pesticides,” he said yesterday.
Chang said he would also send the fruits to selected organic fruit stores in Pulau Tikus and Bayan Baru.
Customers can book their durians through the durian.com website or send a WhatsApp message to 012-4110600 and they would have to collect their orders at the fruit stores. Chang said he only sells fresh durians.
Another Balik Pulau durian orchard owner, Ong Kim Huan, said providing a delivery service could be among the best ways to sell durians this season.
He said as he could not accept customers to his store, customers could place their orders online or via WhatsApp and he would deliver ready-to-eat durians to them.
“Some customers have started to contact me, asking about durians, and they are happy and excited to know that we will be selling them online. I did not expect they would start looking for durians this early,” he said. --BERNAMA