TAMBUNAN: A total of 130 durian growers and entrepreneurs from across Tambunan attended the 2026 Durian Cultivation Technology Transformation Course organised by the Tambunan Agriculture Office to improve productivity, fruit quality and competitiveness in the local durian industry.
The course, held at the Kampung Tobilung Open Hall on July 14, was officiated by Sabah Agriculture Director Datuk Jifrin Mohamad, who encouraged participants to apply the knowledge and skills gained to increase the production of high-quality durians and further develop Sabah’s durian industry.
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“I hope the knowledge and skills acquired throughout this course will be fully utilised to improve the production of quality durians and strengthen the growth of the industry in Sabah,” he said.
Participants attended a series of talks by officers from the Sabah Agriculture Department covering farm certification under the myGAP and myOrganic schemes, durian agronomy, pest management, as well as practical training on budwood selection and grafting techniques.
Jifrin said modern and systematic cultivation practices are essential to producing high-quality planting materials and improving orchard productivity.
The agronomy sessions covered varietal selection, planting requirements and orchard management, while the pest management session focused on identifying and controlling the durian seed borer (Mudaria magniplaga), one of the crop’s major pests capable of damaging entire fruits.
Participants also took part in hands-on training on budwood selection and grafting techniques conducted by experienced agriculture officers to improve propagation methods and future yields.
Statistics shared during the course showed that Malaysia recorded 92,116.31 hectares of durian cultivation, producing 568,806.84 metric tonnes in 2024. Sabah accounted for 6,571.4 hectares of the total planted area, including 114.9 hectares in Tambunan.
The department said the programme reflected its continued commitment to equipping growers with modern agricultural knowledge and technology, strengthening the district’s agriculture sector and producing more competitive durian entrepreneurs.
