| Original report from Phnom Penh 10 July 2008 |
A high demand for durian can be found across the country, but farmers say it is too difficult to grow.
Efforts by the Ministry of Agriculture and other non-government agencies to convince farmers to up the production of the pungent fruit have failed.
Durian is a round, spiky fruit savored by many Cambodians and distinguishable, they say, by region. It is banned on public transportation for its strong odor.
As Cambodia moves into durian season, farmers say the difficulties growing the fruit outstrip the reward.
"Now, growing durian is not popular anymore, because it provides little product and most of the durian tree suffer from illnesses and die, so a lot of my villagers now they cut durian trees to grow rubber trees," Kong Soth, a farmer in Kampong Cham province, said.
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