Agrobank AUM Lifts Perak SME Sales To RM6.05 Mln

IPOH, April 2 (Bernama) -- The Agrobank Upward Migration (AUM) programme lifted sales among small and medium enterprise (SME) entrepreneurs in Perak to RM6.05 million in 2025, reinforcing the state’s food security sector.

Agrobank president and group chief executive officer (CEO), Tengku Ahmad Badli Shah Raja Hussin, said the achievement was driven by improved performance among 27 participating companies, which recorded a 42.21 per cent rise in sales from a year earlier.

“This reflects the effectiveness of the AUM programme in enhancing competitiveness and strengthening the business capacity of local entrepreneurs.

“The programme has also contributed to local economic development, with 11 companies expanding operations and creating new jobs for the community,” he said in a statement issued in conjunction with the AUM Perak Excellence Aspiration Ceremony held here on Thursday.

Also present were Perak State Agricultural Development Corporation (SADC) CEO, Mohd Azhar Mohd Yusof, and Agrobank chief development officer, Ahmad Ariff Abu Bakar.

Tengku Ahmad Badli Shah said the ceremony provided a platform to recognise Perak-based entrepreneurs who had delivered strong performance.

“Through structured guidance and continuous support from Agrobank, six companies secured additional financing totalling RM319,000 under the AUM programme,” he said.

A total of 41 entrepreneurs in Perak participated in the programme and were recognised at the ceremony for their achievements.

Agrobank also honoured five companies for top performance across categories, including sales growth, business expansion, job creation, capacity enhancement (technology) and capacity enhancement (financing).

Meanwhile, Tengku Ahmad Badli Shah said the AUM programme is a 12-month entrepreneurial development initiative integrating theoretical learning with practical application.

“Participants attend both physical and online training sessions, alongside one-to-one coaching at their business premises.

“The modules cover financial management, digital marketing, business planning and corporate-standard management practices,” he said.

The ceremony also saw Mohd Azhar present certificates to participants of the Perak SADC Entrepreneur Guidance Programme, a corporation-sponsored initiative in which participants received mentoring from the Agrobank Centre of Excellence (ACE).

The programme is designed to empower entrepreneurs under Perak SADC through structured training and continuous guidance.

A total of 10 participants completed the programme through a series of training sessions and comprehensive coaching.

As a result, participating entrepreneurs recorded strong performance gains, with cumulative sales rising 211 per cent to RM1.6 million compared with pre-programme levels.

-- BERNAMA