Durian looks mushy and moldy, selling for shocking price of 700,000 VND/kg

Despite its unattractive appearance, a rare durian variety in Malaysia is causing a stir thanks to its unique flavor, expected to dethrone long-famous specialty durians such as Musang King and Black Thorn.

This new durian variety, called Tupai King, is being hailed by Malaysian gardeners as a potential candidate to replace the dominant Musang King.

Close-up of the durian that is sought after by diners despite its unattractive appearance (Photo: Xiaohongshu).

The Tupai King craze began to spread after a series of photos of the durian looking mushy and moldy were shared on the Thai fanpage Than Pao, attracting thousands of shares.

The author of the article describes this as a rare and extremely delicious durian variety, originating from an old durian tree in Penang (Malaysia) about 20 years ago. Some people even claim to have enjoyed it 40 years ago.

However, this information has not been verified.

Highly appreciated for its sweetness, chewiness and unique taste, Tupai King is currently priced at nearly 1,000 baht/kg (equivalent to 700,000 VND/kg). This is a higher price than the two most famous Malaysian durian specialties Musang King and Black Thorn.

In Malaysia, foodies are hunting for the Tupai King for its delicious taste but limited availability. Curiosity has also spread to Thailand, Singapore and China, which are considered major markets for Asian durians. Many jokingly call it the "squirrel durian."

The fruit's flesh is described as having a rich, creamy texture (Photo: News).

According to The Straits Times (Singapore), Tupai King has an elongated shape, the flesh inside is pale yellow with a dark green tinge. The taste is described as less bitter than Musang King, with a rich aftertaste and a light alcohol scent.

However, the supply of Tupai King is still quite limited. The newly planted seedlings are not old enough to produce fruit. It will take another 3 to 4 years for growers to be able to cultivate it commercially on a large scale.

Mr. Eric Yeap, owner of 7 durian gardens with an area of ​​over 53.4 hectares from Teluk Bahang, said that the Tupai King variety has only really attracted the attention of durian lovers at home and abroad in the last 2 years.

The garden owner revealed that when the durian season began, many customers from China and Singapore called directly to place orders. Currently, his garden also exports to Hong Kong (China) at a much higher price than domestically.

Mr Yeap’s garden currently has 20 Tupai King trees. He is planning to expand the number of trees because of the soaring demand. Many Singaporean tourists also make the effort to visit the garden just to enjoy fresh durians on the spot.

It is known that Malaysian farmers are now starting to expand the area planted with this durian variety.

However, climate change is also a major challenge for the Malaysian durian industry. According to the Malay Mail , the prolonged rainy season has caused irregular flowering, and production could drop by up to 30% this year.

Mr. Chew Chee Wan, a farmer in Penang, who discovered the Tupai King durian variety 20 years ago, said this fruit "looks like nothing special but when you eat it, it's completely different".

"The Tupai King durian flesh is creamy, fatty, with a deep sweet and bitter aftertaste, mixed with a slight nutty aroma and a light yeasty taste," Mr. Chew shared.

It is known that this durian variety was officially registered by the Malaysian Ministry of Agriculture in 2021 with the name Tupai 226, variety code D214. The name is Tupai King. This name is inspired by Mr. Chew's Cap Tupai durian shop.

This year’s durian season is expected to begin at the end of May. Tupai King durian is expected to create a fever when this fruit is available at the stalls from mid-June until the end of August.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/sau-rieng-nhin-nhu-nhun-chay-nuoc-moc-xanh-ban-gia-soc-700000-dongkg-20250520114606888.htm