KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 6 (Bernama) -- Agrobank today organised an inaugural Agrobank Durian Festival, an initiative by the Bank to promote durian related businesses as new wealth creation. The festival was part of Agrobank’s aim to expand networking and provide business opportunities for agropreneurs in durian businesses.
 
The festival was launched by YB Dato’ Salahuddin Ayub, Minister of Agriculture & Agro-Based Industry (MOA) and witnessed by YB Tuan Sim Sze Tzin, Deputy Minister of Agriculture & Agro-Based Industry, YBhg Dato’ Mohd Sallehhuddin Hassan, General Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture & Agro-Based Industry, YBhg Dato’ Dr. Ammar Abd Ghapar, Senior Director Domestic & Events Division of Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC), Khadijah Iskandar, Covering Duties of President/Chief Executive Officer of Agrobank and visitors.
 
The event is held in conjunction with Agrobank 50^th anniversary as well as providing latest updates on the prospects and potential in durian business. The event also provides an opportunity for visitors to interact with Agrobank's officers for information on financial solutions for SME’s in the business.  Focus on SME is in line with recent announcement of gazetting the month of September as the national SME Month.
 
According to Khadijah Iskandar, Covering Duties of President / Chief Executive Officer of Agrobank, the Durian Festival was held to support the government’s effort to encourage more agropreneurs to venture in durian industry.
 
“With ‘Durian as Business’ concept, the festival was held not only to enjoy the delicacy of this king of fruits, but also to help durian agropreneurs to promote their products and services.  We have helped to financed durian-based agropreneurs with total financing, amounting RM90 million,” said Khadijah.  
 
“Agrobank hopes that agropreneurs will take advantage of these opportunities to expand their durian-based businesses internationally," Khadijah added.
 
Agrobank Durian Festival offered variety of exciting activities including sales of durian, cooking demonstrations, singing performance by Datuk Ramli Sarip, games, exhibition and many more.
 
About Agrobank
 
Agrobank is a leader in agriculture financing and values-based banking based (VBI)* in Malaysia. Established in 1969, Agrobank is actively involved in charting the growth and development of Malaysia’s agriculture industry by offering shariah compliant products and solutions across various customer segments including corporate, commercial, consumer, trade finance and micro financing customers. Agrobank is a full-fledged Islamic bank since 1^st July 2015.

As a market driven, customer-centric DFI (Development Financial Institution) with a primary focus on strengthening the agriculture sector in Malaysia, Agrobank strikes an equal balance to its developmental and commercial roles to benefit the agriculture sector. Agrobank provides a comprehensive repertoire of financing solutions for the agriculture community; that includes upstream activities related to primary food and commodities-based agriculture activities to downstream activities such as processing, marketing and distribution of agricultural products.

Agrobank also offers retail banking financing solutions to improve the well-being of the agriculture community. This is done through its network of 192 customer touch points including 138 branches, 1 agro banking, 1 virtual banking, 10 commercial financing centre, 34 kiosk, 8 agro corners & agro point

In 2019, Agrobank celebrates its golden jubilee Anniversary, as it marks 50 years of its proud establishment developing the agro industry.
 
www.agrobank.com.my

* VBI or value-based intermediation is an initiative by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) which aims to improve the products and services offered by Islamic financial institutions towards a better facilitation of entrepreneurship, community well-being, sustainable environment and economic growth, without compromising on shareholders’ returns

Issued by Strategic Communications Department, Agrobank

SOURCE : Agrobank

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name : Ainul Rofidza Ibrahim
Tel : 03-2731 1600 (ext 2624) / 019-2258210 
Email :  ainul.ibrahim@agrobank.com.my

Name : Syarifah Syameen Syed Johari 
Tel : 03-2731 1600 (ext 1652)  / 012-3101766  
Email : syameen@agrobank.com.my

--BERNAMA