SINGAPORE: In the kingdom of fruits, the durian reigns supreme. But within its own ranks, there is no shortage of contenders vying for the season’s crown.
Few fruits boast such an array of commercially available varieties, from Mao Shan Wang to D24 to Red Prawn, as the durian.
Lately, it is newcomers like Tupai King and Black Thorn that have shaken up the market, at prices that could be 50 to 90 per cent higher than classics like Mao Shan Wang.
These new varieties have puzzled durian enthusiast Andrew Yeo, who has indulged in the spiky fruit nearly twice a week this season.
He paid S$28 per kilogramme for Tupai Kingbetinm, the most he has shelled out so far. But he noticed that one shop sale sign saying “Tupai King” also had “Mao Shan Wang” written underneath.
Andrew Yeo with Talking Point host Diana Ser at a Mediacorp Class 95 durian party.