Harvesting, Post-harvesting and Marketing

Great care is taken in the harvesting and post harvesting process of durian. During harvesting , sorting and transporting , meticulous methods contribute to excellent quality for domestic and foreign consumers, as well. It has boosted Thailand to become the world's largest exporter of fresh and frozen durian.

Harvesting method
1. Most Thai durian is harvested at 80-90% physiological maturity. It takes 5 - 10 days to ripen thus it can be stored longer. This also lengthens the distribution time. Lengthening the distribution time gives a leeway for the grower to make a bargain, and it allows for export to more distant countries. During storage and transportation the fruit will continue to ripen until reaching its destination.
2. Nevertheless, the fruits, harvested at the fully mature stage, will be overripe when reaching the destination. The overripe fruit is regarded as inferior quality. The fruit will be fractured and the pulp marshy commanding low price as the quality is rejected by the consumer. Generally, the Thai consumers prefer the ripe, not overripe.
3. Harvesters normally work in pairs, one on tree choosing the mature fruit. Using a sharp and clean knife, he cuts the fruit from the tree leaving about 10 cm. of stem attached to the fruit then drops it to the catcher below. The common method is to catch it with a jute bag to prevent it from dropping directly on the ground. This way is fast but requires reasonable skill because of the risk of breaking the stem or letting the fruit hit the ground which causes bruising.
4. After harvesting, the durian should not be placed directly on the floor but put on a container, e.g. a plastic or bamboo basket. This is to guard against fungal infection which can cause rotting during transportation and distribution.
5. In Malaysia and Indonesia , the overripe fruit is harvested by allowing it to drop naturally and is collected on a day-to-day basis. To prevent it from falling on the ground, the grower will tie the durian to a branch so that when the fruit falls it will be caught on the cord. However, Thais consider fruit harvested this way as being overripe and inferior.

Sorting and grading

Today, no official quality standards for domestic and export markets have been set instead relying on traditions. The traditional grading is normally based on variety, shape, maturity, size, pulp color, internal quality and plant health.

1. Sorting and grading for domestic market.

After harvesting, grower and trader will cull unmarketable fruits and separate marketable fruits. Fruits with irregular shape, disease, damage by rodents or insects will be marketed for a low price and regarded as unguarded.

Graded durians will be of high quality and marketed at a premium. The price difference will mainly depend on the variety, size and appearance, but generally the durian that influences the market has the characteristic as follows:

1) Being harvested from the tree (not fallen one) with 80-90% maturity (the mature green)

2) Being a Chanee or Monthong

3) Weigh between 2-4 Kgs. each depending on a variety. Monthong is larger than a Chanee

4) good shape

2. Sorting and Grading for export.

To encourage growers and exporters to improve quality, Thai Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives prescribes durian standards as criteria for export voluntarily. There are :

1) Size	Chanee weighs 2.0-3.5 kgs.
	Monthong weighs 2.0-4.5 kgs.
	Kanyao weighs 3.0-4.5 kg.
2) Shape	Having 4 or more full locules, all pulp seeds are in good shape corresponding to the variety.
3) Pulp color.	It relate to the variety expectation. Monthong may be pale, while Chanee can be yellowish.
4) Ideal conditions.	Without diseases and pests, small defects invisible.
5) Internal characteristics when ripe.	No wet core or browning.

Packaging
1. Domestic market. Durians destined for the local market, are generally stacked in bulk in trucks with jute bags or canvas on the top and bottom to protect it from sunlight and rain. Upon reaching the market, they may by stacked on the floor with jute bags or cardboard or canvas underneath. However, if the durians are of high quality, they may be put on a shelf or hung for the consumer to choose from.
2. Export . The packaging of durian depends on the requirements of the destination. Durian exported to Hong Kong, Taiwan and China are fastidiously packed in a corrugated carton with 10-12 Kgs. Capacity. Each box contains 3 -4 fruits. A bigger box with a capacity of 6-8 fruits is also used to reduce packaging cost. For durians exported to Malaysia and Singapore, wooden crates are used by some Thai exporters. These are much cheaper than a paper box. The wooden crates come in different sizes ranging from 10-30 kgs. capacity and holding between 4-15 fruits each.

Transportation
1. Domestic transportation . From the orchards to the market, transportation is generally by truck, with the fruit stacked without any packaging. It takes 1-2 days to reach the destination. During transportation, the trucks are covered with canvas so that the fruits are not exposed to direct sunlight.
2. Export transportation . The mode of transportation mainly depends on the distance by truck, ship or air. Durians destined for nearby countries such as Malaysia and Singapore, are usually transported by truck. For Hong Kong, Taiwan and China, transport by sea is most likely. For distant countries such as the USA and Europe, the best mode of transportation is by air.