New hybrid odorless durian to be distributed to farmers

BANGKOK: -- The Department of Agriculture plans to breed one million odorless durians saplings for distribution to farmers with a hope that the new hybrids of odorless durians will penetrate the new market and solve the problem of oversupplying.

Songpon Somsri, a senior agricultural specialist of the Horticultural Research Institute said that the Department of Agriculture will distribute the newly-developed odorless durians named Chantaburi 1 and Chantaburi 2 to farmers.

The other hybrid, Chantaburi 3 has no 'pong' after being harvested but it develops a pungent odor after three days. This will facilitate exporting odorous fruit to overseas markets. The institute proposed the project to grow one million durian saplings to replace durian trees of declining productivity on 40,000 rais (16,000 acres) in eastern provincial orchardlands.

The three durian species are said to be disease resistant and are expected to impact the market in the next few years.

"I've studied to produce odorless durians for more than 20 years," said Mr. Songpol, "and it takes more time to grow more saplings to distribute to farmers."

The three new hybrids of durians are developed to grow quickly and can be harvested in a short period, so it will help tackle the problem of seasonal oversupply in May, when durians are normally harvested.

These new hybrid will produce yields in April, sooner than traditional strains. Odorless durians will be able to attract more markets as some consumers in other countries don't like durians because of its memorable scent.

--TNA 2007-04-10

What ! life will never be the same.

Where's the fun in eating an odorless durian?!!

Now there's a great market oppportunity for an entrerpising signmaker. Make new hotel signs to replace the "No Durian Allowed" .

The new sign can say "Odourless Duarian ONLY allowed" and can have adverts with the new species name

Arhh - Just thought - who is going to have a sniff as you bring them in to the hotel just to check??

At long last I can take the peg off my nose when I'm eating!!!!

What's next? Quiet tuk-tuks? Free tour guides? Dog-less sois?

before we all get to excited ,

the key word here is Hybrid,

can you say BIG Agriculture ??

The 'King of Fruits' has lost its pong! That'll have to be smelled to be believed!

Next it will be 'rice without paddy - new drought-resistant strains', 'whisper-quiet' motorbikes, and 'speed-limiters' fitted to public buses!

Just like those lovely big juicy red strawberries in the market.............

No taste.

I will definitely look for the new hybrid and give it a try when I'm in the Kingdom next month. The turian odor can be overwhelming but is (presently) a signature that comes along with the fruit.

A few fresh fruits are available for purchase periodically at our local weekend market in Hawaii. Complete sales is usually over in under 30-minutes as the supply cannot meet the demand. I'd like to learn more about the farming and yield and research more the possibility of providing fresh turian and turian products to our market place.

They talk about the odorless durian but nothing about the taste so wait en see.

Here in farangland we have the most beautiful hybrid tomato, they look perfect and they are all the same size, they last very long but they taste nothing. When you eat them you feel something acid on your tongue and that is it.

DO NOT TOUCH MY DURIAN !!!!!!!!!!

DO NOT TOUCH MY DURIAN !!!!!!!!!!

You bet!

What's the point? Having the odor is half the fun!

What bragging rights are there in an odorless treat?

No sense of adventure here!

Next they will be offering easy to digest durian!!!

I don't like the smell of this plan...

I want my smelly durian. When I am back home , I always know if my darling bought one, before she even tells me. And this brings me in a good mood. DO NOT TOUCH MY DURIAN !!!

Interesting.. I read this in the New York Times the other day too. I hate durian as it is and would never get a meter close to that thing but I wonder if the taste will be altered too?

but I wonder if the taste will be altered too?

are not taste and smell somewhat intertwined ?

I regulary divert to china town on my way home from London and bring home a durian for the wife, especially if i'm in her bad books. Its great as i always get people moving away from me , this leaves me to the rare oportunity to stretch out on the train home. long live the smelly durian

but I wonder if the taste will be altered too?

are not taste and smell somewhat intertwined ?

Precisely. Part of the pleasure is smelling durian as you're walking through the market, following the scent and finding it. Triple YUM! . . .

Odourless durian - ridiculous. Why concentrate on less important things when science can hit the big ones!

Raising a stink over the lack of

John Beveridge

July 19, 2007 12:00am

FOR many years the durian has stirred powerful reactions.

The smell of this "king of fruits" is not something you forget quickly.

But fans swear by the taste of the spiky, football-sized durian, despite an aroma which has been compared to ripe socks and stale vomit.

The smell is so bad that the fruit is banned from many Asian hotels and on public transport and planes.

Herald and Weekly Times.

can't possibly be the same .

DO NOT TOUCH MY DURIAN !!!!!!!!!!

You bet!

What's the point? Having the odor is half the fun!

What bragging rights are there in an odorless treat?

No sense of adventure here!

Next they will be offering easy to digest durian!!!

I don't like the smell of this plan...

Absolutly no medal to be won here, my 17 year old daughter is waiting for the chance to try them when she comes over, they want to spoil it for her?

This stinks! Bring back the stink! We need to get a team together to develop a durian which is twice as stinky as a regular durian. Viva la stink!

It's not just the smell of the stuff that's offensive; it's also got a texture that makes me think I am eating the afterbirth from a cow!