LOCAL NEWS
Durian venture falls short
September-October. 2025 | @ AGROBiz
LOCAL NEWS
05
Malaysia-Brunei deepen ties
MALAYSIA and Brunei have pledged closer cooperation in agriculture and food security, alongside initiatives in cross-border mobility, prisoner transfers and youth development, following the 26th Malaysia-Brunei Annual Leaders’ Consultation( ALC) that took place from Aug 25 to 28, 2025.
The ALC, the highest bilateral mechanism between the two countries, saw Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim meeting with the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, to review ongoing collaborations and regional priorities. Agriculture emerged as a central theme, with both leaders recognising the importance of knowledge-sharing to strengthen food supply chains.
Brunei expressed its appreciation for the training provided by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute( MARDI), which has helped enhance the technical expertise of its agricultural officers.
A joint statement read that:“ Both leaders looked forward to continued agricultural coop-
Boost for rubber
RUBBER smallholders in Sabah and Sarawak will benefit from the activation of the Rubber Production Incentive( IPG) for Aug 2025, the Malaysian Rubber Board( MRB) announced.
The incentive was triggered after farmgate prices for cuplump in both states fell below RM3 per kg, the threshold that qualifies smallholders for government support. In August, the average farmgate prices stood at RM2.65 per kg in Sabah and RM2.60 per kg in Sarawak.
Under the scheme, smallholders in Sabah will receive 35 sen per kg for cuplump with 50per cent dry rubber content( DRC) and 70 sen for 100 per cent DRC. For Sarawak, the rate is 40 sen per kg( 50 per cent DRC) and 80 sen( 100 per cent DRC). Latex incentives remain fixed at 90 sen per kg for 100 per cent DRC in both states.
“ IPG for cuplump and latex is not active for Peninsular Malaysia for August 2025. Therefore, no IPG payment will be made for the month,”
LEADERS UNITE: Prime
Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim( right) with Sultan Hassanal
Bolkiah at the 26th Malaysia-Brunei Annual
Leaders’ Consultation.
eration for the benefit of both countries.”
On prisoner transfers, the leaders noted progress under the Treaty on the International Transfer of Prisoners signed in Aug 2023, citing the first successful transfers of citizens earlier this year.
“ They acknowledged the successful first transfer of a Bruneian on Feb 25, 2025 and the transfer of six Malaysians on Aug 6, 2025, to serve the remainder of their sentences in the countries of origin,” the statement added.
Immigration matters were also discussed, with both governments reaffirming their commitment to secure and efficient border management. The Brunei Malaysia Frequent Traveller Programme( BMFTP), designed to reduce passport stamp usage and ease
MRB stated.
Payments for eligible smallholders will be disbursed between Sept 1 and 30, based on August production figures.
The incentive aims to cushion income volatility for smallholders who remain the backbone of Malaysia’ s agricultural sector. congestion, was highlighted as a step towards smoother crossborder travel.
Youth cooperation received equal attention, with Brunei’ s participation in ASEAN youth dialogues and regional sports, such as the SUKMA Games, commended. Leaders also anticipated Brunei’ s involvement in the Borneo Games 2025 in Sarawak.
Brunei remains Malaysia’ s sixth-largest Asean trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching RM7.53 billion in 2024.
RELIEF FOR GROWERS: The IPG activation reflects the government’ s support for the smallholder rubber sector.
Durian venture falls short
HEXTAR Global Bhd( HGB) has decided to sell its agricultural land in Raub, Pahang, through its indirect subsidiary, PHG Ever Fresh Plantation Sdn Bhd, after its durian plantation project failed to deliver the anticipated returns.
The disposal will be carried out by Hextar Fruits Sdn Bhd( HFSB), which is 51 per cent owned by PHG. Three parcels of freehold agricultural land, covering a total of 10.02 hectares, will be sold to Chateau MSK Sdn Bhd for RM13.75 million under three separate agreements.
In a filing with Bursa Malaysia, the company highlighted that the plantation yield had fallen short of expectations, making the venture unsustainable in the long term.
The group explained:“ The proposed disposal provides an opportunity for PHG to realise a favourable return, as the purchaser has offered an attractive price for the land.
“ The HGB Group has decided to focus on operating the durian collection centres, where various sellers can supply durians, as it focuses on sorting and processing durians into pulp, paste and frozen products for export as its business strategy.”
The group also noted that the disposal reflects a strategic shift to strengthen its downstream durian operations rather than cultivating the fruit directly.
According to HGB, the deal is targeted to be completed within six months of the agreement date.- @ AGROBiz