KUALA LUMPUR: Musang King durian farmers should consider forming their own Musang King Growers Cooperative to ensure that all family-owned durian farms in Raub, Pahang are protected, Sim Tze Tzin (PH-Bayan Baru) said.
The former Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Deputy Minister said the cooperative would also increase the farmers' bargaining power with the state-owned Royal Pahang Durian Resources (RPDR).
"The purpose of a cooperative is to gather all family-owned farm (operators) under one big umbrella, and the goal is to increase (farmers') incomes and reduce risks collectively.
"Musang King farmers in Raub should learn from the Sunkist Growers cooperative. Sunkist Growers Inc is among the most successful farmer cooperatives in the world," he told a press conference at the Parliament building here, today.
Sunkist Growers is an American citrus growers' non-stock membership cooperative which is now composed of 6,000 members from California and Arizona in the United States.
Back in the late 1880s, California citrus growers began organising themselves into cooperatives, with the goal of increasing profits by pooling their risks and increasing their collective bargaining power with jobbers and packers.
Thus, Sim called on Musang King farmers in Raub to emulate Sunkist Growers, adding that being in a cooperative would help them get fertiliser, pesticide and other necessities at wholesale prices.
"Cooperatives would also increase the bargaining power with Royal Pahang Durian and help enter an agreement that would be mutually beneficial to both sides," he said.
Recently, a joint venture deal with the RPDR corporation saw the lease of more than 5,300 acres of land in the area of Raub awarded to the company.
Local farmers have been voicing concern that the deal would see corporations gain a monopoly over the durian trade and send prices soaring, eventually edging out small-scale farmers.