Packaged durian allows aficionados to bring it home

Packaged durian allows aficionados to bring it home

Many durian aficionados have difficulty bringing home durian on airplanes or with courier service companies due to its pungent odor. Now, they can carry or order durian in plastic boxes from durian vendors like Rizal.

A small package (sized 17 x 15 centimeters) is offered at Rp 50,000 while a big one (sized 20 x 25 centimeters) is Rp 75,000. The packages are brought or sent to Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta and even Singapore.

To eliminate the strong smell of durian, the peeled durian is placed in a plastic box. Then, the box is wrapped in a plastic sheet before being wrapped again with a plastic sheet powdered with coffee. Next, the package is smeared with crushed turmeric leaves before being wrapped with another plastic sheet. Then it is coated with brown paper and ready to carry.

"Through this layered-packaging, consumers can either carry or send durian by airplane or courier services companies. People can only smell turmeric instead of durian. Even the slightest durian smell from the package will make airlines or courier services refuse to deliver the package," Rizal said.

-- Haidir Anwar Tanjung