Realising the potential of durian as a new source of income, the Farmers’ Organisation Authority (LPP) has identified a 119-hectare area to be developed for durian cultivation this year, said its chairman Tan Sri Zainal Dahalan.
He said durian provided a new economic opportunity and could benefit LPP members nationwide as the fruit was in high demand locally and abroad.
“The durian economy can benefit all those involved in the value chain including seed suppliers, farmers, fertilizer suppliers, transporters to market durians and the processing of various durian-based products.
“Durian can be processed into powder form, cakes, pastries and numerous durian-based menus. It can also be cooked and made into “lempok” (durian cake), jam and “tempoyak” (fermented durian paste),” he said in a statement here today.
Besides encouraging farmers to generate an income through durian cultivation, he said LPP also wanted to indirectly promote the culinary industry to farmers, as urged by the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry.
Zainal also urged locals to experiment producing new menus and various durian-based by-products that could be sold to local and foreign buyers.
“Among LPP’s current focus is to urge youths to venture into the field of agriculture while introducing the agricultural produce (durian) as a new source of wealth,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said the Titi sub-district in Jelebu would be known as a fruit valley, producing local fruits, particularly in Negri Sembilan.
Zainal said 145.04 hectares of the land was allocated for the planting of fruits, especially durian with Jelebu poised to become a fruit production hub.
He added that Titi was among the country’s top durian orchards due to its hilly terrain and cold weather which produced the unique Jelebu durian taste.
Source: The Malay Mail Online