Participants who successfully completed the Musang King Durian (D197) Cultivation Programme taking a photo with the organizers of the programme.

BINTULU: The D197 durian, more popularly known as the Musang King is one of the most expensive durians in the market with prices reaching RM40 to RM80 per kilogram depending on the grade.

Durian prices are said to be expensive due to the complex nature of the care provided for durian plants as well as the commercial value due to high demand from durian lovers.

The D197 durian is widely planted and sold in West Malaysia.  In view of the huge potential of this durian variety as well as its popularity in the marketplace, the UPMKB Agriculture Park took the initiative to host a Musang King Durian(D197) Course on the 15 August in the university.

Senior UPMKB Agriculture Park Officer and organising chairman Mr Sat Maling said that the course focussed on the current scenario and the potential of the D197 durian including aspects such as morphology, types of clones or varieties as well as cultivating the durian variety through suitable growth medium.

Apart from that, he said that emphasis was also placed on the method of cultivation and care for plants, post-harvest management as well as production cost for this type of durian.

“Demonstrations of cultivation method and practical experience of how to propagate the D197 durian is of great importance to those who wish to start cultivating durians” he said that while delivering information to course participants.

He further emphasised that in cultivating this type of durian, care must be exercised so that the plants receive neither too much nor too little water. Young plants must also not be exposed to too much sunlight with shade used as protection from sunlight. In addition, fertiliser should be applied after the rainy season.

The type of fertiliser used must be suitable with an adequate amount of water as any excess water would affect the plant’s fertility.

These durian plants also need lots of water during the dry season and organic fertilisers would be the most suitable for the fertility of the plant.

Meanwhile, the Director of the UPMKB Agriculture Park and Development (TPUP), Associate Professor Dr Ong Kian Huat, said that through such courses, it was hoped that the ‘University4Society’ programme could be achieved. The programme aims at introducing and widening the knowledge of the various types of plants in agriculture to the public.  

“This is the first in a series of courses that are planned for this year,” he said while expressing his hope that participants would take the opportunity to learn as much as knowledge possible from the field of agriculture through such courses. 

At the same time, the Head of the UPMKB Agriculture Park, Nalong Buda sees the effort made by his staff as a way of fulfilling the government’s recommendation to enhance the agricultural sector, especially in Sarawak.

He said that it was of utmost importance to have skilled farmers who knew the techniques and best practices in farming to have viable projects. At the same time, he emphasized that it was also important to transfer the latest technology to farmers to raise productivity and crop quality.

He explained that farmers also need to be equipped with the rudiments of entrepreneurship so that they would be able to be successful agricultural entrepreneurs in the future.

According to the Deputy Registrar of the UPMKB Agriculture Park and Development, Dexter Elvin Menari, there were 48 participants from all over Sarawak who took part in this course which comprised both classroom lectures as well as practical sessions according to the Standard Operating Procedures and new norms established by the Ministry of Health Malaysia(KKM) under the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO).

Social distancing and the practice of 3W i.e. ‘wash, the frequent washing of hands with soap and water, ‘wear’, the wearing of face masks in public places or when one has symptoms, and ‘warn’ i.e. a warning from the Health Ministry which is based on the concept of reminders to avoid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Date of Input: 24/08/2020 | Updated: 01/10/2020 | lanz