KUCHING: Migrating to new ways of cultivating pepper has the potential to increase Sarawak’s pepper production, says Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
The Deputy Prime Minister added that further research as well as new approaches were needed for Sarawak to continue producing quality pepper seedlings.
“We have to make use of the new hybrid material, and whether or not we will still be planting on the hill slopes or migrating to precision farming using new technologies so that we can better control the moisture.
“At the same time, look at how we can increase our production. So, these are the things we are looking at.”
He told the media this at his Hari Raya open house at the CIDB Convention Centre here on yesterday (April 25).
Fadillah, who is also federal Minister of Plantation and Commodity, said one of the challenges now was attracting more young people to plant pepper.
“At the moment, we are importing a lot from Vietnam. Then there is a mix of Sarawak pepper and those from Vietnam, this is very risky.
“Why is it risky? Because our pepper is high quality and well sought-after in the world. If it has been mixed, the product would lose its quality and this will tarnish its image and eventually impact the marketing strategy and even the demand for Sarawak pepper.
“So, what we need to focus on now is also to increase production and productivity, and this is by helping existing farmers to migrate to new modern technology,” he stressed.
In addition, he said, with all the good practices in agriculture, hopefully the quality of Sarawak pepper could be maintained.
“Secondly, we want to sustain Sarawak pepper and to capture the high-end market, especially the European market.
“This is because our Sarawak pepper is in much demand and the price is reasonable as well,” said Fadillah.
