Musang King durian prices double to surge past $10 per kilogram

Prices have also gone up at the farm gate, with orchards in Can Tho city and Dak Lak and Tien Giang provinces selling the fruit at VND140,000.

Mai, who grows the durian, said though this year’s harvest has been 20% higher, grade 1 (highest grade) fruits are scarce.

Lower quality fruits fetch VND100,000 per kilogram, up 25%, she said. This year she harvested and sold two tons for VND200 million.

"Musang King trees are difficult to care for, so orchards can take years to break even," she said.

A grade 1 Musang King durian. Photo by Phan Thi Hang

Manh Khuong, a durian trader in Can Tho, said: "Supply [of grade 1 Musang King durian] in the Mekong Delta is nearly depleted while demand is especially high now during the Mid-Autumn Festival."

A trader in the Central Highlands, Phan Thi Hang, said heavy rains have resulted in inconsistent fruit quality and the harvest season is also ending.

"I used to be able to buy five to 10 tons a day at the start of the season [in August], but can only find a few hundred kilograms now."

Musang King variety is often referred to as the "king of durians" for its rich and sweet taste with a hint of bitterness.

It is distinguished by its oval shape, dark green skin with large spikes and a five-point star pattern at the bottom.

It is often cross-pollinated with Thai variants in Vietnam, resulting in smaller but rounder and tastier fruits than Ri6 and Monthong varieties.

A trader buying Musang King durians in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak. Photo by Phan Thi Hang

The Dak Lak Durian Association said most local Musang King trees are four to seven years old and would not reach peak yields until 10.

With proper planning and cultivation, the cultivar would soon not only meet local demand but also qualify for exports, it added.

Prices of the highest-grade Thai (Monthong) durian have also risen, with orchards in the Central Highlands selling the fruit at VND90,000-100,000, a 15% increase from a year ago.

But prices of the local Ri6 variety are steady at VND44,000-50,000 at the farm gate.