KUALA TERENGGANU: The increasing demand for ketum in the United States and Europe as a therapeutic herb to treat various diseases, has prompted Terengganu to support its mass production.

Menteri Besar Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman said the state government is fully supportive of a federal agency’s efforts to boost ketum production, provided it is done legally.

He welcomed the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority’s (Risda) call to increase the revenue of its farmers, following huge demand for ketum by pharmacies in the US and Europe.

“As long as it is produced and marketed as a herb, we are fully supportive of ketum farms.

“But it has to be supervised thoroughly by a government entity and grown as a herb – not as an illegal drug,” said Razif at the state government’s communications unit’s Hari Raya Puasa open house for the media in Jalan Pejabat.

Risda had made known that ketum was a useful herb to stabilise the blood composition and for treating several diseases during winter.

Razif added that Terengganu was very suitable for ketum farms, and two projects at Pasir Raja and Kuala Berang had proven successful.

“We do not want farmers to venture into something that has negative effects and which are not profitable.

“I believe Risda is capable of overseeing ketum farming to a larger extent with its farmers,” said Razif.

He was responding to comments by Risda chairman Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin, who had sought approval from the Terengganu government to expand ketum production to supplement farmers’ income.

Zahidi said Risda had received huge demand for ketum from pharmacies in the US and Europe.

Risda is collaborating with the Health Ministry and various government agencies to carry out research with the Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang.-nst