Malaysian couple uses data science to preserve Penang's heritage durians

Wong Sue Rene (L) and Lee Jang Giap. Photo from Bahang Terraces' Instagram

Lee Jang Giap, 33, an IT professional, and Wong Sue Rene, 32, who earned a master's degree in physiotherapy from Manchester Metropolitan University, took over their family's orchard in Teluk Bahang, Penang, in 2023.

Before returning to Penang, Wong worked for the U.K.'s National Health Service during the Covid-19 pandemic. She said she was never a devoted durian fan until she became involved in the family business and discovered the complexity behind cultivating the fruit.

Instead of relying solely on traditional farming experience, Wong and Lee use data to manage their 4-hectare orchard, Bahang Terraces. They track cultivation costs, harvest yields, market prices, seasonal fluctuations and other key indicators to determine the best harvesting times and identify which durian varieties generate the strongest returns throughout the season.

"Having spent years building information technology systems, I naturally approached farming the same way," Lee, who holds a master's degree in international marketing from the U.K.'s Sheffield Hallam University, told The Star. "Data allows us to better understand yields and pricing cycles."

The approach has not only improved the farm's profitability but also helped the couple better understand Penang's increasingly volatile durian market.

This season, a bumper harvest drove prices of Musang King and Black Thorn, Malaysia's two best-known premium durian varieties, to their lowest levels in three to four years as orchards planted during the country's durian boom nearly a decade ago reached maturity, flooding the market with fruit.

Musang King durian. Photo from Instagram

According to AsiaOne, Musang King prices have fallen by about half from last year, while Black Thorn now sells for RM15 to RM30 (US$3.7-$7.4) per kilogram. Kampung durians are selling for RM5 to RM8 per kilogram, with some fruit briefly priced below RM1 during the peak harvest.

Lee said the lower prices have benefited consumers but also exposed the growing challenges facing Penang's small-scale farmers.

Musang King and Black Thorn are benchmark varieties whose prices heavily influence the broader market. When their prices decline, growers of heritage durians also receive lower prices from middlemen despite facing largely unchanged production costs.

The market pressures have prompted the couple to diversify beyond fruit production by offering guided tours at Bahang Terraces, where visitors explore the orchard before sampling different durian varieties in tastings similar to those for wine, whisky or cheese.

The couple also hopes the experience will raise awareness of Penang's lesser-known heritage varieties, many of which are being replaced by the more commercially valuable Musang King and Black Thorn. Preserving those native varieties has become central to their long-term vision. Rather than maximizing yields alone, they see the orchard as a living archive of Penang's rich durian heritage.

"Durian in Penang shouldn't be just about Musang King, which is actually from Pahang," Lee said. "It's about maintaining a whole ecosystem of varieties that tell the story of the island."