KUCHING: A paste made from durians in Betong, Sri Aman, Simunjan, Serian, Padawan and Bau is making its way to China via Kuala Lumpur.
The durians were collected during the peak season of 2018 and purchased at 40 sen per kg from farmers in collaboration with Persatuan Peladang (Farmers’ Associations).
Deputy Chief Minister and Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Minister, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas yesterday officiated at the launch of the shipment of durian paste by A.T.A Supplies (A.T.A) from Sarawak to Kuala Lumpur here.
At the launch, Uggah’s ministry identified A.T.A Supplies as one of the two companies tasked with assisting the development of the state’s durian industry.
It is learnt that the company’s first shipment of 12 tonnes of Sarawak’s durian paste were sent to Kuala Lumpur on Jan 3 while yesterday, another 15 tonnes were shipped. Today, another 15 tonnes will be shipped.
Part of this durian paste will be sent to China where demand for the product is high.
Uggah explained that his ministry had set a target of exporting 30 tonnes of durian paste for 2018.
To date, A.T.A alone had achieved the target of exporting 42 tonnes of durian paste with the purchase of 270 tonnes of durians from the market, he said.
“In the pipeline are plans to set up a Collection Processing and Packaging Centre at Layar, Betong (CPPC Layar), which in turn will immediately benefit farmers in Sarikei, Betong and Sri Aman,” added Uggah.
The durian paste bound for Kuala Lumpur and China is packed into 2-kg bags and 20-kg boxes.
The minister commented that countries like China and Korea were innovative and used durian paste in the making of pastries, ice-cream, cakes, jam, biscuits and other confectionery items.
“During a trip to South Korea, I got my wife to try a durian face mask. So there is a definite market for the paste but we will take it one step at a time,” he said.
Uggah added: “We are also looking to export dehydrated rambutans in the near future.”
He explained that with the seasonal fruits aplenty, the exports of products like durian paste and dehydrated rambutans would help to stabilise prices and generate stable and sustainable incomes for the farmers.
“This is also one of the solutions to the farmers’ marketing issues, especially when there is an oversupply or even a glut of fruits in the local market,” he said.
Uggah explained that he had made known these plans last year in a presentation to the Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak (DUN).
“My ministry will make our targets for 2019 known in the June sitting of DUN,” he added.
Meanwhile, A.T.A in a statement announced plans to purchase up to 320 tonnes of durians this year with plans to produce 50 tonnes of durian paste.
It targets to export 100 tonnes of the paste by the time the current durian season ends in February 2019.
With Uggah at the event yesterday were Assistant Agriculture Minister Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail, Permanent Secretary to the Modernisation of Agriculture (MANRED), Native Land and Regional Development Ministry Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik and Acting Agriculture Director Dr Alvin Chai Lian Huat.
