Handling tips for durian export in relation to maturity :

The best stages of maturity for harvesting to achieve best eating quality is the full mature stage and the advanced mature green stage.

The recommended stage of maturity at harvest will depend on the storage time required determined by mode of transportation (by air or sea), and shipment time to the importing country.

Durians to be exported should not harvested "full mature".

Immature stage fruit shall not be exported.

Durians to be exported by air should be harvested at the "advanced" mature green stage.

For fruit to be exported by air at the beginning of the season, the "less" mature green stage being acceptable for not more than 25% in the lot.

For durians to be exported in refrigerated container for a journey of about a week, the optimum stage of maturity is the "advanced" mature green fruit with the "less" mature green fruit make up no more than 25% of the total.

For export shipment time of more than 10 days but less than 2 week, the optimum harvesting stage is the "less" mature green with the "advanced" mature green making up to no more than 15% of the total.

For export shipment time of more than two weeks, only fruit of the "less" mature green fruit will be able to sustain the shipment.

Artificial ripening may be used for uniformed ripening of the lot.

Removal of field heat of fruit by cooling in cold room of sufficient cooling capacity to temperature about 15C before loading into reefer is strongly recommended.

Chilling injury to the aril is indicated by failure of the aril to soften.

Summarized by Ms Sing Ching Tongdee, Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research.