Durian sales bring windfall to farm owners who became wealthy overnight

Owners of turmeric durian farms in the interior of Kelantan can now be called 'rich men' when they earn RM200,000 from durian sales.

For the whole of one month selling turmeric and Musang King durians, the owners of the farm managed to earn more than a decent income all year.

For Ibrahim Che Musa, who owns 6.47 hectares of durian farm, the sale of turmeric and Musang King durians is very encouraging despite the wholesale prices of RM35 to RM40 per kilogram.

“The yield has improved a bit, with the two farms contributing about RM100,000 to RM200,000.

"Last year, there wasn’t enough supply to Singapore, the order came non-stop," he said.

According to Ibrahim or more affectionately called Pak Him, he did not have to create an advertisement to sell his durians as the customers had already pre-booked it since the beginning of the year.

He said the turmeric and Musang King durians were not exported at this time but reserved for the local market as the demand was high.

Meanwhile, Kelantan Tourism, Arts and Culture Office (MOTAC) director Mohd Aidil Afizie Daud said the turmeric durian from the interior of Kelantan such as Dabong and Bertam could be an agro-tourism product.

“This time we came to see the potential for us to promote agrotourism, eat durian in the village or in the surrounding Jelawang farms.

"One of the programmes that we will be promoting is 'visit the village’. We hope it will attract more domestic tourists. For those who love durians, please come to Kelantan, and to Dabong," he said.

He added that in line with the government's recommendations to encourage domestic tourism, such resources and tourism products should be emphasized to the people.