KUANTAN: The Beserah clone durian, characterised by its thick and shiny golden flesh, combines a delightful sweetness with a hint of bitterness, resulting in a highly coveted fruit. Despite its premium price, it remains in great demand
It is also known as the Green Durian or D145. This particular type of durian is said to be more delicious compared to premium breeds such as Musang King and Black Thorn.
Durian planter Wan Mohd Suffian, 47, mentioned that the demand for Beserah durians is consistently high every time the durian season arrives, even though they are sold at prices ranging from RM40 to RM60 per kilogram (kg).
According to him, enthusiasts of Beserah durians often pre-order the fruit while it's still on the tree to ensure they don't miss out on experiencing this particular durian breed.
The price is not an issue for those individuals, as their primary goal is to savour the delight of this particular clone of durian.
"I have five Beserah durian trees, which have yielded over 400 fruits. The fruits have started to fall gradually since a week ago," he said, adding that approximately seven to thirty durians fall everyday.
"All the available fruits have been pre-ordered by my regular customers; every year, the same individuals purchase this particular clone of durian," he said here today.
He added that Green Durian was only found in Beserah. If it's found elsewhere, the taste and flesh colour were different.
The fertility of the soil and the hilly terrain in the area were said to be crucial factors, as they contribute to the delightful taste, appealing appearance, and strong aroma of this particular durian variety.
Wan Mohd Suffian stated that he now has over 200 cloned durian trees such as durian Tembaga, D24, and D2 planted across an area of more than 1.6 hectares in Kampung Batu Hitam, Beserah, here.
There are also rambutan, mangosteen, and jack fruit trees in his orchard. According to him, during this durian season, almost all planters in Kampung Batu Hitam were satisfied as the fruit production was considered exceptional.
However, he mentioned that not all orchards here have Green Durian trees, as previously the seeds for this particular type of tree were difficult to obtain. The original trees used to propagate shoots had died.
"The taste of Beserah durian has been proven for a long time. It's not surprising that it has consistently received positive responses from durian enthusiasts including the local community, foreign tourists, and even royalties," he explained.
"In the future, I hope that even more planters in this area will consider cultivating Beserah durian to meet the demand and also to yield profitable returns," he said.