MACHANG: The Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) has spent RM375,000 for the purchase of about 150 tonnes of the kampung durian variety to prevent a glut and price drop.

       Its Kelantan director Wan Nora Wan Ahmad said the agency bought the fruit from 600 durian orchard owners in the districts of Jeli, Tanah Merah, Kuala Krai and Pasir Puteh.

       She said Fama bought the fruit at RM2.50 per kg, compared with the farm price of RM2 per kg.

       “Kelantan is the largest producer of the kampung durian variety in the country, but the price has dropped due to the MCO, making it difficult to market the fruit to other states, especially on the west coast,” Wan Nora said after visiting Fama office’s durian processing centre here yesterday.

       She said Fama has also appointed agents among the orchard owners to facilitate them to market the fruit directly to Fama without going through middlemen. — Bernama