Malaysian Durian Farmer Stephen Chow Faces Rising Production Costs and Climate Pressures Amidst Growing Competition
Malaysian durian orchard owner Stephen Chow reports that rising temperatures and erratic rainfall are making his plantation less lucrative. While the premium Malaysian varieties are highly coveted by Chinese consumers, Chow faces higher production costs due to climate change and the Iran war-related price increases in fuel and fertilizer. Extreme weather has dealt repeated blows to the orchard in Karak, Pahang state. Heavy rainfall in 2021 triggered flooding that damaged trees and machinery, while persistent rain during the flowering season caused pollination failures. Additionally, an oversupply of durian fruit in Malaysia has pushed prices down, with Grade A Musang King durians selling for roughly half the price of last year. To adapt, other growers like Kie Kim Hwa have implemented technology to track rainfall and humidity. Lim Chin Khee, an adviser to the Durian Academy, notes that while extreme weather events reduce supply and and drive up prices, well-prepared farmers who invest in infrastructure like water reservoirs can turn disasters into opportunities.