From orchard to ice-cream: Fama buys up the glut to stop Terengganu’s durians from rotting

KUALA TERENGGANU, June 30 — The Terengganu Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) has begun processing durians into pulp daily to address the oversupply of the fruit in the state’s market.

Its director, Muhamad Fadlee Hassan, said the initiative, carried out at Fama’s Fresh Fruit Processing Centre in Besut since June 22, forms part of the 2026 Seasonal Fruits Marketing and Intervention Implementation Plan to ensure growers’ produce is marketed more systematically while addressing excess supply.

“We expect to process about 10 tonnes of durian pulp a month due to the oversupply. Our centre has the capacity to store about 16 tonnes at any one time.

“Durian pulp, or fresh durian flesh, is widely used in downstream industries to produce traditional cakes, ice cream and other products, and is sold at between RM30 and RM40 per kilogramme (kg),” he said after the 2026 Durian Marketing and Intervention Plan engagement programme at the Kuala Terengganu Fama Operations Centre near Chendering, here today.

Muhamad Fadlee said the processing initiative was introduced after farm-gate durian prices fell below RM3.50 per kg.

He said although durian production in Terengganu, particularly in Besut, Setiu and Hulu Terengganu, is not as high as in other states, the influx of supplies from elsewhere has resulted in an oversupply, putting pressure on prices in the state.

As part of the intervention, Fama purchases durians from registered collectors at RM3 per kg before processing them into pulp.

He added that Fama is also selling durians in bulk at low prices directly to consumers through its 11 sales centres across Terengganu. — Bernama