If your sole purpose of living is to eat durian, chances are you will straight go for the Musang King durian, because the creaminess of its texture as well as unique dreamy smell are to die for.
Needless to say, Musang King has remained the undefeated champion among other varieties such as D24, Black Thorn, Red Prawn, and XO for a long time. However, there’s a new kid in town who’s said to be the next game-changer.
Ladies and gentlemen, meet the royal ASFA50, a new breed of durian that is said to taste as good as Musang King durian. That’s a bold statement…
The ASFA50 actually stands for Anniversary Sirajuddin Fauziah 50, which marks the 50th wedding anniversary of the Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Syed Putra Jamalullail and Raja Perempuan of Perlis, Tuanku Fauziah Tengku Abdul Rashid. Congratz!
According to the company that’s distributing ASFA50, here are some of the highlights of this hybrid durian.
- It has a unique yet less pungent smell compared to Musang King
- ASFA50 takes only three years to bear fruit, while Musang King takes nine
“The fruit just melts in your mouth from the first bite and it is less gassy than the other types. It is sure to be a hit not only with Chinese nationals but also the Europeans,” Ferri Anugerah Makmur, owner of the company said.
“It’s a combination of the Musang King, Udang Merah, Durian Tembaga and Black Thorn, which makes it a resilient tree and much more tougher than any cloned species from sapling to the adult tree,” he added.
The first batch of ASFA50 is expected to be harvested by 2020 as the company is still conducting R&D on a land up north.
Interestingly, the tree is only 5-metre tall and 2-metre wide when fully grown, and the fruit can be harvested twice a year.
“Its yield is half the weight of the tree. We have to put up supports to stop the fruits from touching the ground,” Ferri said.
What about the price?
Tentatively, the fruit is priced at RM60 per kilogram, but the company might lower the price to make it stay competitive.
Is ASFA50 a worthy successor of the Musang King? Well, guess we can only find out once we sink our teeth into its flesh!
Also read: Malaysia’s Durians are the Best in the World, Chinese VIP Says