Durian farmers from Punggur, Kubu Raya, secured two of the top three places at Pontianak’s 2026 Durian Contest. Ismail’s Jantung Hati variety won first prize, highlighting West Kalimantan’s genetic diversity and commercial potential. Local authorities called for stronger sustainable cultivation, promotion and wider market access for regional growers nationwide.

PONTIANAK, thekabarnews.com—Durian farmers from Punggur in Kubu Raya Regency dominated the 2026 Pontianak Durian Contest. They secured first and third place with locally cultivated varieties from West Kalimantan.

The competition was held on Sunday, July 19, at the Ampera Swimming Pool grounds in Pontianak. It formed part of the Bumi Khatulistiwa Flora and Fauna Exhibition, an event designed to introduce regional biodiversity, support farmers and promote locally produced horticultural commodities.

Judges awarded first place to Ismail of Punggur for his Jantung Hati durian. Roan from Balai Karangan finished second with the Kabu variety. Arjuna, also representing Punggur, took third place with his Kulit Hijau durian.

Pontianak City Secretary Amirullah presented the prizes and praised farmers for maintaining and developing West Kalimantan’s locally adapted durian varieties.

“This contest is a form of appreciation for farmers who continue striving to produce high-quality durians. We hope this activity will motivate farmers to continue improving cultivation quality so they can produce highly competitive fruit,” Amirullah said.

According to Amirullah, the contest was not merely about selecting the best-tasting fruit. It also helped introduce local durian genetic resources, commonly known as germplasm. This genetic material could support future cultivation, conservation and variety-development programs.

Agricultural research published through Indonesia’s Agriculture Ministry describes germplasm as an essential source of genetic diversity for developing improved fruit varieties.

Researchers evaluating 38 durian accessions also found substantial differences in their fruit characteristics. These findings demonstrated the crop’s broad genetic diversity, according to the Agriculture Ministry repository.

The ministry previously reported that West Kalimantan produced more than 25,000 tonnes of durian in 2018. At that time, Indonesia had registered 104 superior durian varieties, illustrating the commodity’s national diversity and economic potential. That figure is a historical benchmark rather than a current production estimate, as reported by the Directorate General of Horticulture.

“Through this exhibition, people can become more familiar with the region’s leading durian varieties. We hope it will increase public interest in local products while positively affecting farmers’ welfare,” Amirullah said.

The exhibition ran from July 15 to 20 and featured local-fruit stalls, ornamental-plant contests, cultivation workshops, animal displays and educational activities. ANTARA documented the opening-day exhibition as a public education and family-entertainment event.

Organizers also scheduled a visit to Punggur’s durian-growing center on July 20, extending the event’s focus from competition to farm promotion. This was reported by Pontianak Post.