Pasir mas: An innovative coconut dehusking device developed by plantation entrepreneur Che Adnan Che Kadir, 56, which received a four-star rating, could now be adapted for durians and commercialised to meet the needs of the agricultural industry.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the judging panel at the Kelantan Department of Agriculture's 2026 Agricultural Technology Innovation Competition proposed the idea after seeing the device's potential for adaptation to other fruits. Durians and areca nuts were among the fruits suggested, with durians identified as the main target for further development due to the skill and careful handling required to open them.
Che Adnan expressed his surprise and motivation, stating, "I feel even more motivated, and I never expected that something I designed for my own farm would now be considered for a wider market." He recently received the farmer category award, positioning him to potentially represent Kelantan at the national level during National Innovation Week in Putrajaya at the end of September.
The support from the Department of Agriculture was instrumental in allowing Che Adnan to compete at the state level. The invention was evaluated by judges from the department, the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), and polytechnics. He mentioned that to compete nationally, several improvements based on the judges' recommendations would be needed, and he hopes to secure an innovation grant to refine the design for production and industry needs.
Initially developed in 2024, the device was created to address the challenges of dehusking coconuts using traditional methods on Che Adnan's six-hectare farm in Kampung Chetok, Pasir Mas. The invention aimed to reduce the risk of injury and speed up the process. The 3.5kg device is portable and significantly reduces the time needed to remove a coconut husk, from 2 to 3 minutes by hand to about 1 minute, with skilled workers managing in 40 to 45 seconds.
Che Adnan hopes that once adapted for durians, the device could become a practical and safe home-grown innovation, aiding farmers and potentially reaching wider markets. He noted that the national innovation grant, which includes a RM10,000 prize, could help finalize the design and bring the innovation to market.