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Durian, known for its pungent aroma, has typically been imported into Taiwan from Southeast Asia. But one retired police officer decided to take a crack at growing the King of the Fruits after returning to his hometown. He chopped down the betel nut trees on his family’s Pingtung farm and planted durian instead. Over the first three years he overcame many technical challenges and natural disasters to welcome his first harvest. Now, his farm boasts a stable output.

The food that has these tasters unable to contain themselves is durian, the famously aromatic King of the Fruits.

At this orchard tucked away in Pingtung’s Linluo Township, fruit hangs from row after row of durian trees. Each one is tied to the branch to keep it from falling and smashing on the ground once it ripens. The owner is Hsu Chun-ming, a retired police officer.

Hsu Chun-ming
Durian farmer
From when I was a child to when I returned home, we’ve always grown betel nut here. After retiring I wanted to make a change, so I thought about it for a while. I wanted to find something more challenging that also has high economic value.

Hsu saw that betel nut prices were steadily declining and was no longer viable as a cash crop, but struggled for a long time over what to grow instead. It was a casual suggestion from his durian-loving wife that eventually led him to try out growing this notoriously challenging fruit.

Hsu’s wife
Durian farmer
He could only figure it out through trial and error, since he couldn’t find a set method. The failure rate for the first batch was about 90% in terms of survival. But the second round grew very well.

Hsu Chun-ming
Durian farmer
It’s been just over five years since I started growing durian. Each tree yields about 10 fruits. Based on average market prices currently, the return is about 10 times that of betel nut.

Overcoming climate and technical challenges, Hsu’s orchard now boasts 88 trees with premium varieties including Musang King, black thorn, and wild durian. With their excellent quality and rich flavor, Hsu’s durian has become the pride of Linluo.

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