Why are durians so expensive now?

[Wilsonandson]

I went to my local market today and bought some durian. It's now 150 baht a kilo. "Holy sh1t" I thought as I handed over 340 baht for 1 durian I picked.

Why is it so expensive now?

 

A few years back it was priced at about 50 baht a kilo. Is there a shortage of durian this year? Can someone please explain why durian is so expensive now?

Help..... I love durian, its custard almond taste is like no other. I need it.

[cornishcarlos]

90-120 per kilo where I am...

 

I reckon a lot of fruit farmers jumped on the rubber wagon when it was rolling, so now there is indeed a shortage of fruit.

Supply and demand !!!

 

I too love it but it is now an expensive addiction

[kkerry]

Thailand and Malaysia were having drought conditions recently so I imagine hot weather + low rainfall = lower yields + higher retail prices.

[Ulysses G.]

At least  you can get it. I never se it in the States. However, I miss decent mangoes even more. The varieties they sell here are not up to much after eating them all over SEA.

[soumanioco]

The extreme drought and the heavy rainfall right thereafter, practically ended the durian season before it even started. There are no durian this year that's why they're so overpriced. 

[Alive]

There was a story about the Chinese control in the eastern fruit markets. Seems to be quite a popular fruit with the Chinese.

[cornishcarlos]

19 minutes ago, soumanioco said:

The extreme drought and the heavy rainfall right thereafter, practically ended the durian season before it even started. There are no durian this year that's why they're so overpriced. 

 

"There are no durian this year" ????

 

There are durian this year, expensive ones

[koolkarl]

Tomatoes, watermelons, etc. have also had huge price increases over the past few years.  

Even the other day I was in Macro, and had bought pears at 95 baht a kilo for the past few weeks; well this

week the same pears were 128 baht a kilo. 

All governments have been saying the same thing for years; there is no inflation so zero interest rates.  As long

as people stay quiet, your friendly government will continue to screw you every which way possible.

 

[louse1953]

Forget durians,what about bloody bananas!!!

[UKJASE]

lots of durian roadside here in hua hin..... 90 - 100 baht a kg

[arithai12]

I don't know where the OP is based, but there are places where the price is inflated thanks to the large number of chinese tourists. And not just for durians.

[recom273]

Yes, lots of Durian here in the South.

Starting at 80B, which is still quite expensive according to the wife.

 

If you earn 300B a day, how can you afford 160B on fruit.

[LawrenceN]

1 hour ago, louse1953 said:

Forget durians,what about bloody bananas!!!

I prefer bananas, and all other fruit for that matter, without blood on them.

[NickJ]

Just buy some yogurt and build a FART tent.

[bark]

Guess you guys have never heard of supply and demand ?

[Generalchaos]

Very true, Durian prices are crazy at the moment. We used to buy from a truck up north that brought them up from Rayong, they used to be 30 Baht a KG, then 35, then they went crazy.

[spetersen]

Every fruit which is, end of season getting a much higher price, and the Durian season is almost over, simple as that, and it applies to all fruits . i.e Mangosten..... over and hard to find.

[hans d]

What about not enough Durian?! The whole year they're selling a never b4 and in my opinion the high price is made artificially!!! Mafia like!

[Wilsonandson]

Central Food Retail, the executives of Central Food Hall and Tops has gathered famous Monthong durians from 11 provinces across the country to be served at the first durian buffet in Thailand called Bangkok Amazing Durian Fest 2016 from 13 – 17 August 2016 at Square A, CentralWorld.

http://destinationthailandnews.com/tourism/whats-on/bangkok-amazing-durian-fest-2016-centralworld.html

 

[Broeno]

My wife's mother has a durian garden. In her opinion it has been to dry and so a shortage of durian. 

[Inepto Cracy]

Phuket paying around 180.00B per. Mong Tong durian this year.

They all have a slightly bitter after taste, not as creamy and tasty as last years.

Eat on lovers of the creamy fruit.

 

[Slain]

I don't know where the OP is based, but there are places where the price is inflated thanks to the large number of chinese tourists. And not just for durians.

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Lol my wife has just told me that

[ballzafire]

On 8/16/2016 at 3:27 PM, Ulysses G. said:

At least  you can get it. I never see it in the States. However, I miss decent mangoes even more. The varieties they sell here are not up to much after eating them all over SEA.

 

Well, I guess that depends upon where you are in the States.  Here in Greater Los Angeles, I have found frozen durian in Thai Town (Silom Market and others), Cambodia Town, Little Saigon and a certain chain of Chinese supermarkets located both here and in Las Vegas called Shun Fat. 

 

Prices vary wildly, with Silom Market having the cheapest Mon Thong variety (comes in a plastic box, two "rolls" of it) now at (only) USD 7 per pound (equiv to ~550 baht/kilo, processed) and also one of the most expensive at a whopping USD 12 per pound! (equiv to ~945 baht/kilo, processed), the latter of which is a new brand of standard Mon Thong apparently trying to capitalize on the perceived "shortage"... 

 

It's true that prices have nearly doubled in 5 years here in the States, but hey, it's durian, baby!  (and all durian lovers know exactly what I'm talking about... ).  Locally in Thailand, as someone has stated, prices can be had for ~80 baht/kilo in the South, which sounds about right.  Touristy areas are obviously prone to gouging and shortages, so they're not the best reference.  I normally paid 50-80 baht/kilo (whole fruit) at the wholesale produce market area of Hat Yai and I thought that was fair. Roadside vendors might be a little cheaper, but then again, YMMV...

 

So, for the purposes of comparison, I snapped some pics on a recent visit to a Shun Fat supermarket in Los Angeles.  They now offer three varieties: one from Malaysia, one from Vietnam, and, of course, the 'plentiful' Thai Mon Thong (whole fruit, but sometimes they carry processed, too).  Check out the prices.  Frozen whole fruit Mon Thong is going for the equivalent of (only) ~150 baht/kilo now!  Doesn't seem to be much of a "shortage" here, otherwise prices would be a lot higher for this mainstay... 

 

Also, never tried the Malaysian variety, but tried the 3 Mien brand and it's good.  I've also had Vietnamese durian in both HCMC and Hoi An, VN and both were cheap, plentiful and good.  Had a small ~1/2 kilo durian 'shucked' for me at both locations, each of which filled a styrofoam food container and I recall each costing me only VND ~10,000 ! In Cambodia they cost a bit more, but, I digress...

 

Anyway, here are the pics. Drool, drool, durian lovers...  Chawp gin durian, mahk mahk!  Suukapop dee!

 

 

Thai Mon Thong in Los Angeles... almost a "bargain"...lol

 

 

Vietnamese 3 Mien brand (Note: price is for ~0.4 kilo...) Creamy good!

 

 

Betcha can't eat just one...

 

 

Malaysian delicacy... (Note: price is for 0.45 kilo or ~630 baht/kilo)

 

 

For the discerning durian connoisseur...

 

 

(Sorry for the bump, but I saw your post and had to respond).

 

[Ulysses G.]

Thanks for that. Now I know where to get durian when I crave it!

[ballzafire]

Just now, Ulysses G. said:

Thanks for that. Now I know where to get durian when I crave it!

 

You're welcome.  Glad it helped somebody...

[ballzafire]

As an addendum to my original post, and for all you durian lovers out there (and the curious), I am including some more examples of prices and availability of durian here in Los Angeles County, which you can use to compare with what you're paying in  LoS. 

 

I happened to be in East Hollywood this past week and had a chance to stop by what has been (at least up to now) one of my favorite sources for local durian - Silom Market in Thai Town.  This particular market is probably the most well-stocked one in all of Thai Town.  They always have durian, no matter how crummy the quality.  Never a "shortage" here...

 

But, lately they have not held up to my standards and currently carry only two rather tepid brands, along with some whole fruit that is not very competitively priced (~USD 3.50 per pound or ~280 baht/kilo).  I've included pics below of the processed variety. 

 

In addition, there's also Ai Hoa market in Chinatown for a downtown LA source for durian.  This market is probably one of the best stocked Chinese-Vietnamese markets in town, and availability is usually good.  (But, again, price! ...Ouch!)

 

Haven't been over to Cambodia Town or Little Saigon in some time, but would be curious to know what availability and pricing are these day at both those locales, too.  But, as I recall, prices were more or less in line with everywhere else here in Los Angeles County. 

 

Yeah, everywhere you go, durian cost more and more these days... (But don't worry -- nobody is paying more than the Singaporeans.  Been there.  Seen the prices.  Yikes!) 

 

 

Here's the "boxed" variety of Mon Thong I talked about earlier. All mashed up, then wrapped in cellophane.  1 pound.  Currently, the cheapest you can buy (note the price).  But the quality is substandard.  I avoid this brand now, except as a last resort (but at least the sturdy plastic boxes are reusable...)

 

 

Here's this new brand I referred to in my earlier post.  Note the outrageous price (equivalent to a whopping 1030 baht /kilo !)  What?!  Talk about sticker shock!  Another smaller Thai supermarket down the street (Bangluck) also carried this and the price was the same. Yikes!  Is a shortage developing?  I hope not... :-/

 

 

This is what you get for USD 13.  And it's even been thawed and refrozen!  "Fresh Durian", it says?  Don't make me laugh!  I think I'll save my money...

 

 

More frozen durian whole fruit, this time at Ai Hoa Market in Chinatown, Los Angeles.  Yes, the story is the same -- higher and higher prices.  But, at least they are little cheaper than Thai Town (price is equivalent to ~ 215 baht/kilo).

 

 

Ai Hoa also carries a processed variety, as seen here.  It is, again, standard Thai Mon Thong, but not all mashed up and wrapped like sausages.  This is the kind I prefer.  But price has recently jumped about 20%.  The trend is not good for us durian lovers... :-/

 

 

Hope you found this info helpful, if not entertaining.

 

 

[MahasarakhamMitch]

Try £25 for one in the uk

[Ahab]

Not sure why the price is higher, but it is definitely not because I am buying too many of them and depleting the supply. I have tried them several times and the smell is too awful to overcome any positives this (supposedly edible) fruit might have.

[Wilsonandson]

On 17/08/2016 at 2:50 PM, Alive said:

There was a story about the Chinese control in the eastern fruit markets. Seems to be quite a popular fruit with the Chinese.

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/concern-voiced-possible-monopoly-thai-fruit-market-chinese-traders/

The Chinese.

Bye bye durian.

 

Temporary Thai-Lao border checkpoint to be upgraded for fruit export to China

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-01/06/c_134983183.htm

[Wilsonandson]

The article that explains why durian prices have sky rocketed.

http://www.chinadailyasia.com/lifestyle/2015-05/05/content_15259777.html

The truth is our there.