MELAKA: Turning the historic city into a premier durian tourism destination is among the latest initiatives being explored by the state government, says Low Chee Leong.
The deputy chairman of Melaka rural development, agriculture and food security said the plan is also aimed at creating a dedicated supermarket to showcase premium local varieties while helping growers weather an unprecedented oversupply nationwide.
He said the proposed one-stop durian supermarket in Kota Laksamana here would provide a centralised platform for local orchard owners and traders to market premium cultivars such as Musang King, Black Thorn and Hor Lor (D163) to tourists and durian enthusiasts.
Low said the initiative would not only strengthen Melaka's agro-tourism offerings but also help address the oversupply of durians that has seen prices of even premium varieties fall significantly this season.
"We can address the issue of oversupply while allowing local traders to promote their durians from a centralised location.
"I am confident Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh will have his own ideas to turn the supermarket into a new tourist attraction," he said in an interview on Sunday (July 12).
Low said local traders had expressed concern over the extraordinary abundance of durians nationwide, attributing it to orchards across the southern region producing fruit simultaneously.
He said the proposed supermarket would allow orchard owners in the state to work closely with traders to market their produce more effectively and create a stronger identity for the state's durian industry.
Describing the current situation as unprecedented, Low said traders feared the oversupply could continue into next year's durian season if production patterns remained unchanged.
"We must capitalise on these exceptionally low prices, especially for premium durians, to attract visitors from Singapore and other countries," he said.
Meanwhile, Low said the upgraded Taman Kota Laksamana's regional market, undertaken with an allocation of nearly RM1mil, had given the premises a new lease of life while providing a more comfortable trading environment for traders.
"The market has more than 20 traders operating here from as early as 6am until about 10am or 11am to meet the daily needs of the surrounding community," he added.
