Ahmad (second left) together with Kedah Fama’s director Anuar Mohamed (left) shows the durian products. — Bernama photo
SUNGAI PETANI: The Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority (Fama) plans to open three more frozen durian flesh processing and storage centres, to bring the total to 15 nationwide, in a bid to expand the market for durian-based food products in the country.
Its director-general Datuk Ahmad Ishak said the three new centres would be built in Penang, Sabah and Sarawak.
“We will seek an allocation of around RM600,000 to set up the centre in Prai, Penang next year with the best facility at which we will also purchase the durian from the farmers, process the fruits, separate the flesh from the seed and turn it into durian paste.
“This is because we also received high demand from China for our frozen durian paste and pulp, as they are confident with our level of food safety and hygiene,” he told reporters after visiting the durian pulp processing and storage facility here yesterday..
He said Fama encouraged the private sector to be actively involved in the industry as the frozen durian paste could not only be used in the making of ‘lempok’ and ‘tempoyak’, but also pancake, cheese cake, yogurt, cake topping, ice-cream and even pizza.
The market for durian-based products is also expanding from export value of RM79 million in 2016 to RM89 million in 2017 and RM67 million in just the first three months of this year, he added. — Bernama