While the durian season every year means booming business for durian sellers, they also have to deal with the woes of hidden costs - spending more money to dispose of the durian husks.
According to Channel NewAsia, workers at a Geylang stall will fill up four huge bins with durian husks daily, with each bin having a capacity for 120kg of durian husks. Having extra bins during durian season means the stall has to fork out about $1,300 each month for waste collection - three times what it usually costs.
Durian stalls are usually charged more for waste collection, based on the number and size of the bins needed to accommodate the husks.
Since Singaporeans are not one to forgo convenience and would very much prefer to have their durians cut and packed before buying, stall owners have no way of avoiding such costs if they want business.
Durian waste from both households and commercial stalls during the peak season of May to July increases by about 30 percent, said SembWaste.
Mr Wong Yew Loon, owner of stall 227 Katong Durian, said: "If everybody takes durians with the husks, it will lower our costs. It will save our time, save our labour and save the price that it costs to get people to throw away the husks. It's good to have everybody bring back the whole durian."
He has been paying between $600 and $1,000 each month to dispose of the durian husks while during non-peak season, he would typically pay slightly over $100.
This goes to show how much Singaporeans really love their durians.
Photo: tallkev via Flickr
While the durian season every year means booming business for durian sellers, they also have to deal with the woes of hidden costs - spending more money to dispose of the durian husks.
According to Channel NewAsia, workers at a Geylang stall will fill up four huge bins with durian husks daily, with each bin having a capacity for 120kg of durian husks. Having extra bins during durian season means the stall has to fork out about $1,300 each month for waste collection - three times what it usually costs.
Durian stalls are usually charged more for waste collection, based on the number and size of the bins needed to accommodate the husks.
Since Singaporeans are not one to forgo convenience and would very much prefer to have their durians cut and packed before buying, stall owners have no way of avoiding such costs if they want business.
Durian waste from both households and commercial stalls during the peak season of May to July increases by about 30 percent, said SembWaste.
Mr Wong Yew Loon, owner of stall 227 Katong Durian, said: "If everybody takes durians with the husks, it will lower our costs. It will save our time, save our labour and save the price that it costs to get people to throw away the husks. It's good to have everybody bring back the whole durian."
He has been paying between $600 and $1,000 each month to dispose of the durian husks while during non-peak season, he would typically pay slightly over $100.
This goes to show how much Singaporeans really love their durians.
Photo: tallkev via Flickr