The Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) Perak has expressed its readiness to assist local hill durian farmers in Kampung Batu 6, Jalan Pahang, following reports of prices dropping as low as RM1 per kilogram.
In a statement posted on Facebook on Sunday, FAMA said its team visited the area to assess the durian marketing situation firsthand.
Discussions revealed that about 20 collectors and smallholders are involved, with an average daily harvest of around four metric tons. Most of the durians are grade C (70%) and grade B (30%), commonly referred to as “buah hujung.”
“Durian from this area is known as Durian Bukit Jalan Pahang, Tapah, with the season expected to end by late January 2026. The RM1 per kilogram price reported applies only to grade C durians, while grade A durians remain priced at RM8 to RM11 per kilogram, in line with current market conditions,” the statement clarified.
The visit, led by FAMA Perak’s Deputy Director of Food Security and Operations, Mohd Salleh Saidin, also found that local farmers were not selling their durians to FAMA but already had existing buyers.
“These existing buyers purchase the entire local harvest, so FAMA is not involved in the procurement of durians for this season,” the statement added.
However, FAMA Perak emphasised that the agency is always ready to step in as a facilitator if farmers or buyers face marketing challenges in the future.
The agency stressed that this approach aligns with its commitment to safeguarding farmers’ welfare while maintaining the stability of the local durian market.
Earlier, Sinar Harian reported that incomes of Orang Asli communities along Jalan Pahang, from Batu 3 to Batu 25, have dropped by more than 60% due to the sharp fall in hill durian prices this season. Grade B durians were reportedly selling at around RM2 per kilogram, while grade C dropped to RM1 per kilogram — far lower than previous prices of RM10 to RM12 per kilogram.
Previously, some durian operators could earn between RM30,000 and RM40,000 per season from selling Durian Bukit.
