DAVAO CITY, 20 April — One has not been to the United States if he has not seen New York, many travelers say in jest. In the Philippines, folks say you have not been in Davao unless you tasted durian fruit.
The fruit has often been described as “a fruit that tastes like heaven but smells like hell.”
To ordinary fruit consumers who belong to the minimum wage earners, the “hell “ part is not the smell but rather the price especially during the off-season, when prices could become prohibitively high due to scarcity of supply.
During the abundant supply months, one is lucky to have it for 50 pesos a piece but not during off season where price go as high as 350 pesos a piece.
However, a recent study by Roman Armenio Jr., Myrna S. Cantila and Milani Abad of the Department of Agriculture Southern Mindanao Integrated Agriculture Research Center, it is now possible to produce durian anytime of the year.
According to the study entitled “Flower Induction in Durian,” certain growth regulators such as Paclobutrazol and Multi-K, when sprayed on durian trees of bearing age at the time when the flushes (new leaves) are already mature, will promote off-season flowering 11 to 21 days from application.
The study revealed that average number of off-season fruits production per tree was over 80 for those sprayed with Pactobutrazol and over 64 for those Multi-K.
For durian growers, this technology could mean additional income in terms of increased yield and relatively higher prices during off-season.
While for the common durian consumer, more durian fruit supply during off-season would eventually result to a slight decrease in prices. Arab News learned from durian growers that a durian tree could provide as much as P16,000 profit per harvest.
It is expensive as it grows only in Mindanao just like the pride of Bicol, the pili nuts. Durian can be made into pastries, candies, cakes and jams.
New varieties of durian which also grows in Thailand are said to bear fruit within 3 to 5 years after planting. A seedling costs P35 to P45 each. “ It is not difficult to grow”, claimed growers in Calinan, a place in Davao famous for fruits.