IF you’ve been waiting for the durian season to go on an all out binge, perhaps you’d be wiser to jump the gun now instead.
Yesterday, The Star reported that prices of the Musang King variant of the delectable fruit, have dropped up to 50% — from RM55 to RM24 and RM33.
A durian trader from Penang attributed this drop to the Covid-19 outbreak, which has caused a steep decline in tourists and demand for the fruit in China, leading to an oversupply in local markets.
“Our export order has dropped by 70% after Chinese New Year,” said Tan Chee Keat to The Star.
“Our customers are usually from China, Indonesia, Singapore and Hong Kong, and some of them are cruise passengers.
“However, the virus has stopped many tourists from travelling and our business has been slow lately,” he said.
Channel News Asia (CNA) reported a similar situation in Johor and Raub, citing that the novel coronavirus has also taken a toll on the logistics industry in China.
“Orders have dropped to almost zero over the last two weeks because many Chinese cities are put under lockdown,” said Andy Tan, a durian farmer from Segamat, Johor.
“The logistics industry to transport durians have less manpower, and there are major delays to get the products through customs,” Tan told CNA.
