Why $20 durians are now being sold at half price - or given away for free

Kelly Ng/ BBCCustomers line up for free fruit at Durian Ninja in Singapore"Back then, a lot of people cut down their rubber trees or oil palms to grow durians. A lot of the trees [planted then] are now starting to bear fruit," says Lu Yuee Thing, the owner of several durian farms near the Malaysian town of Raub. Over the last decade, Malaysia's durian exports, to China in particular, have soared, driven mainly by prized varieties like the Musang King - a buttery, bittersweet fruit largely grown in Raub that the Chinese have dubbed the "Hermès of durians". As Musang King gained popularity, "a lot of people got into Musang King [farming]", says Lee Wah Chong, who runs a luxury resort and durian farm in Malacca.The trees in the newer farms have reached maturity around the same time, resulting in a glut that has depressed prices across the Malaysian durian market and impacted exports.Last December, Lu sold his Musang King durians to retailers at an average of 13.50 ringgit ($3.30). This month, Lu says he can only sell them for half the price.Han says he has slashed prices for his Musang Kings by nearly a third, offering them to customers for 50 ringgit per kilogram."The market pressure is too high for me," he says, adding that he is now trying to make up for lost profits with other fruit he grows, such as bananas.