TELUK INTAN (June 23): Felcra Bhd through its subsidiary company Felcra Processing & Engineering Sdn Bhd (FPESB) has built a RM3.5 million plant that produces palm oil milk or santan with the brand name Suri.

Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the manufacturing plant in Changkat Jong here could produce 60 tonnes of palm oil milk per month.

“In view of the high demand for palm oil milk, Felcra decided to invest in building the new plant to double the production capacity of the old plant (located closeby).

"Producing palm oil milk by Felcra is also as an alternative to coconut milk, which is a very strategic idea as this could offer choices to consumers,” he said at a news conference after the official opening of the Felcra Processing & Engineering Sdn Bhd industrial complex.

Also present were Rural Development (KPLB) Deputy Minister II Datuk Hasbi Habibollah; Felcra Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Mat Roni Zakaria; FPESB chairman Datuk Abdul Shukur Idrus and FPESB chief executive officer Wan Ramlan Wan Abdullah.

Mahdzir said building of the plant was also part of Felcra Bhd’s initiative in supporting the country’s food security plan.

He said his ministry had provided a grant of RM3 million through an allocation under the 11th Malaysia Plant to build the new plant, while the remaining cost was borne by FPESB.  

"Before this, we had a factory producing palm oil milk manually as a pioneer project and has been operating since 2012, but now a new plant has been built with a higher production capacity and fully using automation,” he added.

The 4,000 square metre plant started operating on Tuesday and can produce 2.8 tonnes of palm oil milk per day, compared to the old plant, producing only 1.7 tonnes per day or 30 tonnes per month.

So far, the Suri palm oil milk has five main distributors and is sold at 40 supermarkets/hypermarkets and by individual traders in Perak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Kedah, Penang, Melaka, Johor and Pahang.

"I am confident that the new plant can raise production and supply in the market, hence meeting the demand for palm oil milk which has exceeded 100%,” said Mahdzir.

Meanwhile, Wan Ramlan said the research and development (R&D) efforts were going on to produce palm oil milk packed in cartons for the international market.

"Although the product quality is already good, the R&D is ongoing jointly with the Malaysia Palm Oil Board (MPOB) to ensure top-quality product and better packaging," he added.