The combination of high temperatures and lack of rainfall is causing durian farmers to expect a 50% decrease in their harvest this season. It is predicted that a short supply of the fruit will see prices rise by at least 20%.

The weather is not only affecting fruit production and growth, but Durian farmer Chong Ah Kim said last week, in a statement to the Malay Mail Online, that almost half of his durian trees were dying.

Unlike other fruit trees, the durian tree cannot survive in hot weather without water, growing best with 70 to 160 inches of average annual rainfall.

The price of durian is determined by two factors: the age of the tree and the fruit’s freshness. Fruit from older trees and newly dropped durian will have a higher price tag.