Plant new durian varieties for global market — Nogeh
Durian fruits are collected from farmers to be made into durian paste, which is highly in demand overseas.
KUCHING: Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Datuk Anthony Nogeh encourages farmers in Sarawak to plant new varieties of durian for international market.
He said there was already high demand for Malaysian durian paste abroad, but the country was still short of supply.
It is learned that Malaysia currently exports about 400 metric tonnes of durian paste to China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore every year.
“Durian fruits are collected from farmers to be made into durian paste, which is highly in demand overseas.
“However, the supply is still far from enough and therefore, I encourage farmers in Sarawak to properly maintain their old orchards and at the same time, plant new varieties, especially the ‘ Musang King’, on their empty land,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.
Nogeh, who is Mas Gading MP, said he was trying to bring a company that had wide experience in processing durian paste for export to Sarawak.
He said he had met the investors and suggested that their company, which had the expertise and ready market overseas, set up a frozen durian pulp processing centre in Bau.
“The company is very keen in setting up a processing centre in Bau to meet the increasing demand of durian paste in the overseas market.
“In relation to that, I will be working together with the Ministry for Modernisation of Agriculture and Rural Economy, especially the state Department of
Datuk Anthony Nogeh, Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister
Agriculture, to get this proposal materialised in Sarawak,” he said.
Durian is a round, spiky fruit savoured by many Malaysians and Chinese all over the world because it is more durable and can be used to make by-products such as ice cream, cake, juice, jam and drinks – among other things.
Nogeh said if the proposed plan to set up a frozen durian pulp processing centre in Bau materialised, durian farmers in other parts of Kuching and Sarawak would also benefit.
“The centre is going to benefit not just the people in Bau and Lundu, but also other farmers, especially those in the rural areas,” he said.
According to the official portal of Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority ( Fama), the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ) officially approved for Malaysian frozen durian pulp to enter the China market on May 11, 2011.
The suitable varieties are D24 and D197 (Musang King).
Among the requirements are the durian pulp must be sourced from farms that are accredited by the Department of Agriculture and had obtained certification under the Malaysia Farm Accreditation Scheme (SALM).
Besides that, fruits must be processed in factories that adhere to Good Manufacturing Practice ( GMP) and are accredited by AQSIQ.
The frozen durian pulp must be blast- frozen at - 30° C for 30 minutes, stored and transported at -18°C.
The frozen durian pulp processing centres in Malaysia accredited by AQSIQ, according to Fama, are its processing plant at Batu Kurau, Perak (governmentowned); Top Fruit Sdn Bhd, Batu Pahat, Johor ( private- owned); Fama (AMC Jerantut) in Pahang (government- owned); Hernan Corporation Sdn Bhd, Ara Damansara in Subang ( privateowned); and ARTM Services Sdn Bhd, Halal Hub Melaka ( privateowned).