A total of 287,572 durian saplings have been distributed to farmers in Central Sulawesi Province as part of an effort to develop the commodity for export markets. Nelson Metubun, Head of the Central Sulawesi Department of Food Crops and Horticulture (TPH), stated that this assistance demonstrates the regional government's commitment to advancing the agricultural sector, as durian is highly potential in this area. This was conveyed by Metubun in Palu on Monday, July 22, 2024. Out of the 13 regencies or cities in Central Sulawesi Province, only Palu did not receive seed assistance due to a lack of adequate land. According to TPH data, Poso Regency received the most assistance, with 100,794 saplings, nearly half of the total. This was followed by Parigi Moutong with 61,785 saplings, Tojo Una-Una with 31,932 saplings, Donggala with 14,484 saplings, and Sigi with 17,536 saplings.
Metubun noted that the government's efforts are driven by the significant market potential for durian. "Currently, Central Sulawesi has penetrated the durian export market to Thailand, and plans are underway to expand exports to China," he said. He revealed that the total number of durian trees in Central Sulawesi is 3.7 million, with approximately 196,325 trees having undergone rejuvenation or new planting. "Over 1.2 million trees are currently fruit-bearing, while more than 2.2 million trees have not yet produced fruit, based on developments over the past five years," he added. Central Sulawesi Province is cultivating 13 durian varieties, including Montong, Malhakam, Kni, Musangking, Kromo Banyumas, Pelangi, Tampilan, Matahari, Griskin, Masmuar D 15S, Black Durian, and Raja. Nelson Metubun highlighted that the Tampilan variety has been recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture since 2003 as a local variety originating from Donggala Regency, Central Sulawesi.
