Kuala terengganu: The bright golden-yellow colour and smooth skin of the Melon Manis Terengganu (MMT) easily attracted visitors to the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry's booth at the MADANI Rakyat Programme (PMR) 2025 here. Visitors who tasted the sweet melons, offered by the Terengganu Department of Agriculture, were impressed by its sweet aroma, crispy texture, and unique flavour - features that have made it a signature fruit of Terengganu.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohd Yunus Mohd Isa, Head of the Horticulture Section at the state Agriculture Department, stated that MMT, the first variety of rock melon, was officially declared the state's official fruit on September 29, 2015. The fruit has been registered with Geographical Indication under the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO) and is also listed under the National Variety Registration with the code CM2.
'Its cultivation is exclusive to Terengganu and tightly controlled to maintain its quality. Seed production is regulated and cannot be distributed outside the state to preserve the fruit's identity as an exclusive Terengganu variety,' he told Bernama. Mohd Yunus also noted that currently, only Green World Genetics (GWG) Sdn Bhd is authorised to supply seeds to two official distributors, namely Terengganu Agrotech Development Corporation and Koperasi Melon Manis Terengganu.
To date, 42 active MMT growers have been recorded statewide, with production reaching 1.7 metric tonnes and generating RM1.73 million in revenue this year. 'We expect this figure to increase. In fact, April 23 has been declared Terengganu Sweet Melons Day, and promotional efforts are ongoing to attract more growers,' he added, mentioning that Besut and Setiu are among the most active districts in cultivating the crop.
Terengganu has been designated the pioneer and main producer of the sweet melons for local and international markets, especially in Asia, due to strong demand for the fruit, which is rich in fibre, Vitamin B and C, and beta carotene. The ministry's booth also featured agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA), and the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM), which are using the PMR platform to promote local agricultural and agro-based products.
The three-day Terengganu PMR 2025 programme, which ends tomorrow, is targeting 25,000 visitors with a range of activities and services for the public. Themed 'Pembangunan MADANI, Rakyat Sejahtera', the programme is organised by the Prime Minister's Office through the Performance Acceleration and Coordination Unit, with strategic cooperation from the Works Ministry and the Implementation Coordination Unit of the Prime Minister's Department.