Chan Li Leen, The Star 27 Dec 09;
GOPENG: Cloned durians like D24 may be all the rage nowadays, but for the real aficionado, the jungle variety from the hills here still reigns supreme.
They are collected daily by orang asli in the jungles of Ulu Geroh and nearby Ulu Kampar and sold to middlemen, who then distribute them as far away as Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.
Middleman Tee Chee Mong, 56, said jungle durians taste and smell better than cloned ones.
“They are also much cheaper than your D24, Raja Kunyit or whatever fanciful name you call those cloned durians.
“Jungle durians are better because they come from trees matured from seeds and not through the grafting process,” he said as he waited at the Ulu Geroh foothill, about 12km from the town centre, for orang asli to come with their harvests.
He added that orang asli used only natural fertilisers and did not use pesticides on their durian trees.
Yan Barus, who supplies durians to Tee, said he could earn between RM1 and RM5 for each fruit depending on the size.
“I collect about 80 to 100 fruits at my grandfather’s orchard on Ulu Kampar Hill each morning. I can earn an average of RM80 a day.
“I also help the middlemen transport fruits that are harvested by others for 20 sen each,” said the 24-year-old, whose typical working day starts at 8am.
Yan, who has been harvesting durians since he was 10, said his job had become easier since he got himself a motorcycle.
“I used to make my way up and down the hill on foot with a basket of durians on my back,” he said.
Jungle durians from these hills come into season twice yearly – in the middle and at end of the year – and are sold at an average of RM10 per kilo in big towns and cities.
