KUCHING: Funds amounting to RM1 million has been allocated to University Putra Malaysia (UPM) by the Ministry of Higher Education as a start-up for the Sarawak Pepper Farm @ UPM Bintulu project. Higher Education Minister, Dato Seri Idris Jusoh said, Sarawak is the largest producer of pepper in the country and the best quality pepper in the world.
“Through the programmme by UPM, I believe the pepper farmers will be more confident that Sarawak pepper is the best in the world and this eventually will lead to their greater commitment and responsibility for them to ensure the success of the pepper project.” he said.
He said this during the launching ceremony of ‘Transnasional Research : Sarawak Peppe r Research Project and Research Farm Development & Community, UPM Bintulu Campus’ at Grand Ma r ghe r i t a Hot e l he re, on Tuesday.
Idris added, the project and research on Sarawak pepper will continue to make sure that farmers are protected by the current government. Researchers and specialists in commodity plants are urged to continue to help the farmers in order to provide better income for them.
“Help the farmers and give as much information they need for better pepper farming so that we can bring back the glory of the best pepper quality in the world,” he pointed out. He said the ministry will discuss and increase the allocation for the project if necessary soon.
UPM Vice Chancellor, Prof Datin Paduka Dr Aini Ideris said that the Sarawak Pepper Farm Project @ UPM Bintulu is a project that have the strategic collaboration between UPM, Ministry of Education, Science and Research Technology together with Malaysia Pepper Board.
“The project will develop a total of 25 acre of land at UPM Bintulu Campus in stages, starting in October 2017 with three main programmes, namely 5 acres for Research programme, 15 acres for Commercial Production Programme and 5 acres for Community Farm programme,” she explained.
She said the four main area in the research programme wi l l be worked out, namely, Pepper Plantation programme, Pepper Protection programme,Downstream Technology programme and Humanity Dimension (dimens i kemanus ian) programme which will be led by UPM researchers and Malaysia Pepper Board.
“We believe the project will ensure the sustainable of black pepper farming in Malaysia and suppor t the national goal to increase the size of the farm from 14,000 hectares to 20,000 hectares by the year 2020, and as the world’s major producer of black pepper.” she added. The free online CSS code beautifier takes care of your dirty code and strips every unwanted
