RANAU: The Sabah government is stepping up efforts to transform its durian industry by encouraging farmers to switch from kampung varieties to premium durians, amid concerns over oversupply and falling prices.
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar said Sabah currently has about 20,000 hectares of durian plantations, but only 5,000 hectares are dedicated to premium varieties.
He said the seasonal glut of kampung durians has driven prices down to as low as RM3 per kilogramme, affecting farmers’ income.
“We do not want farmers to just break even. We want them to earn better income, which is why we are encouraging the shift to premium durians,” he said.
As part of the initiative, Jamawi announced funding support for the first 500 trees in Ranau to undergo adult tree grafting, a technique that enables existing trees to produce premium varieties.
“Farmers can submit claims directly to me based on their reports,” he said.
He added that this year’s hot weather linked to the El Niño phenomenon has caused durian trees across Sabah to flower simultaneously, unlike the usual staggered seasons in districts such as Ranau, Sipitang, Tenom and Keningau.
“This means we expect a glut of durians over the next three to four months,” he said.
To address the issue, the government is planning to strengthen collection and processing centres, with facilities already available in Keningau and under construction in Tenom.
Jamawi said he would also seek funding to build a similar centre in Ranau this year.
He added that poor agricultural road conditions remain a major challenge, with current allocations of about RM4 million annually insufficient compared to RM12 million in requests received within just four months.
“I will continue to push for increased funding for rural roads and irrigation systems to support farmers,” he said.
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