Singapore durian prices are the lowest in years following a bountiful harvest, partly due to good weather conditions in Malaysia. This year’s planting in Johor and Pahang were ready for harvest at the same time, which led to an abundant supply.
And as everyone knows, a greater supply drives prices down. In even better news for die-hard durian fans, prices may go even further down by mid-month and continue to stay low till February, when the holiday season ends.
At present, the popular Musang King variety, which is normally sold for around $16 to $21 per kilo, is now selling at $10 per kilo. “I get the goods at a low price, so the selling price is relatively cheap. In the past, the cheapest price was S$12 per kg. This time, S$10 per kg is really low,” one seller told Mothership. And for slightly inferior fruit of this variety, $10 can even get you a whole fruit. By mid-December, a kilo of Musang King may even cost as little as $5 per piece or per kilo.
This means that people can include the aromatic and flavourful fruit as part of their festivities.
Earlier in June, also because of an abundant harvest in Malaysia, Singapore durian prices had gone down to as low as $7 per kilo in some places. Some merchants were even giving them away for free. Back then, the Musang King variety was sold for S12.
The Musang King, also known as Mao Shan Wang, is well sought-after in Singapore, due to the complexity of its flavour, which is composed of creamy, sweet, and even slightly bitter notes.
“Our best seller is the Mao Shan Wang. We’re selling it for S$12 per kg. It’s usually S$18, and sometimes it can even go above S$20,” one stall operator, Mr Tan Wee Siang, told CNA.
Mr Tan, the operator of durian stall Wang Sheng Li 95 at Bishan added that he was throwing in freebies for buyers. “For the Black Gold type, it’s S$18 per kg. Buy five, get one free,” he said. /TISG
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