KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 — Are you willing to fork out US$1,000 (RM4,100) for a single durian?
In Indonesia, a purportedly rare durian fruit is a causing a stir with its hefty price tag, becoming a social media sensation after going on sale at a shopping centre in Tasikmalaya, West Java.
According to a report by The Guardian, the durian is of the so-called “J-Queen” variety, and is currently displayed at the Plaza Asia shopping centre. Locals have flocked to the supermarket just to snap a picture alongside the rare fruit.
The person behind the “J Queen” variety is Aka, a 32-year-old Indonesian psychology major. He claims to have created the new and rare fruit by crossbreeding two varieties from different regions in Indonesia.
Aka reportedly said that the “J-Queen” tree only fruits once every three years and supposedly has a “peanut and butter taste”. It is also round-shaped and yellow-gold in colour, as opposed to a normal durian that is typically oblong.
But local Javanese farmers doubt the validity of Aka’s claims, with reports quoting them as saying that even the rarest Indonesian durian — the Montong and Kumbokarno varieties — only sell for about 200,000 rupiah (RM58).
It is understood that two “J-Queen” durians have been sold so far.
