Homemade ‘beleda kering’ from Terengganu finds its way to international market

MARANG - What began as a way to fill her spare time has unexpectedly turned into a lucrative business venture for Nurul Suhada Salleh, 36, whose agar-agar kering (sun-dried agar-agar) has now penetrated overseas markets.

The mother of two from Bukit Payong said she began producing the traditional delicacy, locally known as ‘beleda kering’, in 2019 after the Covid-19 pandemic.

When she first started the business, Nurul Suhada produced only about 10 kilogrammes (kg) of agar-agar kering, which were sold on a small scale at village shops and through Facebook. Over time, demand for the sweet treat increased to about 100 kg a month.

"I initially made beleda kering to revive old memories because it had been a long time since I made this traditional delicacy. I was worried it might be forgotten altogether.

"But my younger brother, Muhammad Shohimil Hafizz Salleh, suggested that we try turning it into a business since there were not many agar-agar kering producers in Terengganu at the time,” she said when met at her home in Bukit Payong here today.

Nurul Suhada said she now produces about 100 kg of colourful agar-agar kering each month, assisted by 15 workers for distribution in Malaysia, as well as to Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and Turkey. However, demand for the delicacy surges during Ramadan, increasing up to tenfold to about 1,000 kg.

"We began exporting our product overseas in 2022. The opportunity arose when my younger brother attended a youth economic forum in Indonesia and introduced the delicacy to his friends.

She added that the product, which uses a family recipe passed down through generations, differs in its preparation technique and is not as sweet as similar products on the market.

"I do not use drying machines because the results are not as good as sun-drying. Beleda dried under sunlight is crispier, lasts for years, and has a better and more authentic taste, although the colour may be slightly faded compared with those dried using machines,” she said, adding that she also sells Hari Raya hampers.

Nurul Suhada said she hopes to further expand her business network by participating in expos and sales programmes organised by various agencies locally and abroad.

At the same time, she expressed gratitude to government agencies, including the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) and the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (RISDA), for providing packaging assistance and machinery to support her business. - BERNAMA