Kuala Lumpur: The Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) has imported 640 tonnes of coconuts, marking a 30 percent increase in imports, including from Indonesia, to address the nationwide supply shortage since last month. Its director-general, Abdul Rashid Bahri, stated that the shortage is not only affecting Malaysia but is a global issue due to the coconut off-season, a factor previously highlighted in international coconut conferences.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, FAMA has expanded its sourcing efforts to include Palembang, Indonesia, in addition to the Riau Islands, where coconuts were previously imported. Efforts have also been intensified to procure coconuts from Sabah and Sarawak, and based on assessments at FAMA purchasing centres, the supply has shown an upward trend. This was revealed by Abdul Rashid at a signing ceremony for a forward agreement on watermelon cultivation at Kampung Haji Wan Omar, which was also attended by Kelantan FAMA director Wan Faizatul Aniza Ismayatim.

Abdul Rashid elaborated that the increased supply is expected to stabilise the coconut market nationwide, particularly in preparation for the upcoming Ramadan and Aidilfitri celebrations. He noted that during a recent visit to Thailand, it was observed that the country also sources its coconuts from Vietnam, presenting an opportunity for Malaysia to secure a larger supply.

Responding to reports of coconut smuggling attempts to Thailand, Abdul Rashid mentioned that there is currently no concrete evidence of Malaysian coconuts being exported illegally. He explained that those apprehended had valid licences to sell and wholesale coconuts, with their only violation being the failure to display signboards identifying them as licensed buyers and suppliers. He emphasized that there are no plans to restrict the issuance of these licences, as having more traders in the market is beneficial and helps prevent any single party from monopolising the business.