At a glance the fruit looks like an ordinaray melon, but it is different in terms of sweetness and crispiness. The skin is smooth golden yellow, and its flesh is salmon orange. Its sweetness is between 13 – 19°Brix, and the fruit has a strong aroma. These characteristics attract people to buy the fruit although the price is quite high.

The Terengganu sweet melon (MMT) has become the state fruit and is the pride of the residents and even more so the planters. The fruit with the scientific name Cucumis melo var. Inodorus cv was gazetted as the state fruit in 2017. In line with the state’s effort to promote MMT, a team of UMT researchers have taken the initiative to increase its cultivation through a project titled Empowering Marginalized Communities’ Socio-Economy Through Sustainable Cultivation of Melon Manis Terengganu.

The project is under the sponsorship of 2020 Bumiputera Entrepreneur Development Fund (DPUB2020), Ministry of Economy, which is responsible for improving the economy and socioeconomy of Bumiputera to be in line with the country’s development. Through this fund, UMT has built 17 rain-proof shelthers complete with a fertigation system on a 1.5 acre land at Bukit Kor UMT campus in Marang in which to place 6500 polybags. The area situated in an elevated location is known as Melon Highland and suitable for cultivating high-quality MMT.

Project leader Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Wan Zaliha Wan Sembok said the knowledge transfer project involves six participants from the B40 group and is conducted at a small scale first to measure the potential for it to be carried out at a large scale.

”A total of 4000 polybags were planted in February 2024, and the quantity of MMT harvested was around 3 tonnes.

”The project will be introduced to communities in other districts, including Kuala Nerus, Marang, and Merang, if there is a demand for it.

One of the participants, Zakaria Jais, 37, was happy to be involved in the first MMT production.

”I am excited and proud to have been selected and have put in my best effort to care for the crops for the past three months’.

”Alhamdulillah, the effort has produced results and the fruit has been sold at UMT, around schools nearby, and around Kuala Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, and Marang.

Another participant, Farhgud Ismeth, 33, was grateful for being selected to participate in the MMT project.

”I had been waiting for the opportunity since 2020 to help change my life for the better.”

”I am really interested in the project and was willing to relocate from Johor Bharu just to become a participant at Melon Highland”.

He said although the first harvest failed to surpass the target of four tonnes, it will not deter him from remaining optimistic and produce better results.

Dr. Zaliha said three tonnes was already an excellent achievement for those who had never cultivated MMT before.

”Among the main challenges of MMT cultivation here is the macaque and monkey attacks. Electric fences will be installed before the start of the next cultivation.

”Also, the cultivation technique must be correct, and full attention is needed”.

She added that the project was able to be carried out as a result of the continuous support from UMT’s management.

”On behalf of the team and those involved in the project I would like to thank UMT’s management for the continuous motivation and support for the project at Melon Highland, which was intially an  abandoned land until we built 17 RPH units.

”Our intention is to help those in need who wish to improve their quality of life and be able to stand on their own two feet, ” she said.

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Corporate Communications Office

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu