Durian sales brisk despite high prices

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Durians all around! The king of fruits attracts huge crowds around Wat Chaimongkol Market.
Durians all around! The king of fruits attracts huge crowds around Wat Chaimongkol Market.

PATTAYA – The fruit everyone loves to hate – durian – is hot at Pattaya-area markets despite less-than-appetizing prices.

With the hot season here, the rich notoriously aromatic “king of fruits” is moving well at Wat Chaimongkol Market in South Pattaya, even though prices are substantially higher than recent years.

Current prices are 80-120 baht per kilogram. In 2015, prices were 70-80 baht per kilo. Last year 80 baht was the top end of the price scale.

The smell of durian is “unique”. In many public places, its consumption is forbidden because the smell is so strong.

Its texture is like custard and the taste like almond. Durian can help to reduce cholesterol because it contains polyphenols and fibers to reduce cholesterol. However, intake must be limited to a single dose a day to be useful.

Moreover, durian has antioxidants. Hence, eating durian in proper portions will benefit health and prevent diseases such as heart disease, cancer and others, its advocates claim.

Durians may be a very good source of nutrients, but they are also high in calories and carbohydrates. A durian can have anywhere from 885 calories to 1,500 calories depending on its size.