A Mew Yeh Nursery model shows the Durian Black Thorn from Penang.
KUCHING: Durian planting has become more common in Kuching as increasing demand continues to fuel the selling price of the ‘King of Fruits’.
To meet the rising needs, Mew Yeh Nursery is concentrating on planting various durian varieties as well as carrying out research and development efforts.
The well-known local nursery has acquired seedlings for six types of durians, namely the Durian Musang King (D197), Durian Johor Mas (D168), Durian Black Thorn (Penang – D200), Durian Monthong (D159), Durian Ganyau (D158) and Durian Chanee (D123).
One of the highlights from the nursery this month is none other than the Durian Black Thorn.
Weighing an average of 2.5 to 3kg, this durian variety, also known as ‘Or Chi’ (Black Thorn in Hokkien), got its name from the small black thorn poking out from the bottom of the fruit.
It is round in shape while its rich creamy orange flesh has a soft thick texture with a nice strong aroma.
For the Durian Musang King or ‘Durian Raja Kunyit’, the fruit, which weighs between 3.5 to 4.5kg, features a smooth, creamy and yellowish flesh which tastes sweet with a tinge of bitterness.
According to a spokesperson from Mew Yeh Nursery, the sale of the Durian Musang King in Pahang in November went up to more than RM60 to RM80 per kg, where each durian sold at a price ranging from RM200 to RM360.
There is also the Durian Johor Mas, where the highly productive tree can bear fruit after 3.5 years and is known to be disease-resistant. This fruit has orange-coloured smooth and sweet flesh, and can be sold in Sarawak at RM40 to RM55 per kg.
On the other hand, the Durian Mothong, regarded as the ‘King’ among Thai durians, is slowly gaining popularity in Malaysia with its thick flesh, flat seed and delicate sweetness.
Its tree is able to bear fruit after three to four years, the average size of the Durian Monthong reaching 9kg per fruit.
The Durian Chanee, like the Durian Monthong, also has a flat seed but features a yellowish-orange flesh with a sweet and slightly bitter taste.
The quality of this particular durian will be at its best when harvested during the dry season.
Another top choice of Thai durians is none other than the Durian Ganyau, with its round, smooth yellow flesh that is both sweet and bitter in taste.
“This durian variety has always been a popular choice, with its price also going up as people are willing to spend on durian these days,” said the spokesperson.
Apart from durian seedlings, Mew Yeh Nursery also offers 66 types of fruit seedlings at its nursery such as mango, annona squamosa (Taiwan), coconut (Thailand), jackfruit, longan, longkong (Thailand), ciku (Vietnam or Malaysia), kedondong, soursop, rose apple, guava, mangosteen, pomeloes, starfruit, orange, lemon, kasturi lime, ‘purut’ lime, rambutan and many more.
With 28 years of experience, Mew Yeh Nursery provides quality fruit seedlings to ensure plants are able to bear top quality fruits.
“We would also like to remind the public that there is only one registered Mew Yeh Nursery here and we have no other branches,” added the spokesperson.
Mew Yeh Nursery is located at Lot 527, 1½ Mile, Jalan Datuk Mohammad Musa, Muara Tuang Road in Kota Samarahan.
For more information, call Voon on 016-8092880 or 016-8555236.