Kelantan strengthens durian exports and downstream production to ease glut and stabilise farmers’ income, says state official.
GUA MUSANG: The Kelantan government is strengthening cooperation with the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) and the Department of Agriculture to expand export markets and encourage the production of downstream products as a measure to address the durian glut and price drop affecting farmers’ income.
State Agriculture, Agro-food Industry and Commodities Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Saripudin Tuan Ismail said the state government is also collecting data and monitoring the movement of the durian market to ensure that the price drop this season does not continue to affect the farmers.
He said the glut occurred when the production season in major producing states like Pahang, Perak, and Kelantan happened almost simultaneously, putting pressure on prices. However, the decline mostly involved low-quality durians, while fruits that met export grades still had good demand.
“The state government is always monitoring the market conditions so that the price drop does not significantly affect the farmers. We are collaborating with FAMA and the Department of Agriculture to find the best steps to help them,” he said to reporters after attending the Musang King Durian Festival at the Gua Musang District Council (MDGM) Dewan Kompleks Perdana here today.
Mohd Saripudin said that based on the latest data from the Department of Agriculture, Kelantan is the second largest producer of durian in the country, therefore market development, including expanding durian exports abroad, needs to be further strengthened.
According to him, the state government also encourages entrepreneurs to diversify durian-based products so that the results can be processed, stored longer, and marketed throughout the year.
Meanwhile, Gua Musang Agricultural Investors Association deputy chairman Tan Hu Hoi hopes the government will establish a specific body or agency to coordinate the development of the durian industry, including assisting with marketing, export, and the welfare of farmers.
He said that more than 200 Musang King durian farmers registered with the association are now facing capital turnover constraints following this season’s price drop.
According to him, the existence of specialised agencies such as the Malaysian Cocoa Board and the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board can help protect the interests of small farmers who bear high maintenance costs.
