KUCHING: Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg sees the Department of Agriculture as the facilitator for food exports over the next 50 years.
The agricultural sector, he said, has become an economic sector driven by technology and business enterprises.
“It will also be an effort for us to export our products abroad.
“We will benefit from foreign exchange, making Sarawak a leading state, and Sarawakians will enjoy higher incomes.
“Let us pray for our success,” he said in his speech at the 100th anniversary celebration of the department at Raia Hotel on Monday (Nov 25).
Abang Johari, who is also the Finance and New Economy Minister, said the agricultural sector continues to have a positive impact on small farmers, especially those in rural areas involved in commodity crops such as rubber and oil palm.
“Rubber is no longer just a farmers’ product; it has become a commodity for sale. Eventually, it is processed downstream into products like tires and other rubber by-products.
“The same goes for oil palm. It is not indigenous to Malaysia; it was imported. We developed the oil palm industry to the extent that Malaysia is now one of the world’s major contributors in this sector.
“However, within Malaysia itself, Sarawak has now overtaken Sabah. We are the largest oil palm producer in the country, benefiting even the native customary rights (NCR) landowners,” he added.
Abang Johari also said the income of small farmers involved in the rubber and oil palm industries has increased and improved, as these have become commodities.
“We have many by-products from oil palm, including cooking oil and others, which means NCR landowners benefit from it.
“Some are even buying sports utility vehicles (SUVs) with cash, which surprised me when I visited my area in Gedong. This is because they are small stakeholders in the oil palm industry, and I am confident that if we expand into downstream processing, their income will be even higher,” he added.
Also present during the ceremony were Deputy Premiers Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian; Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom; Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin; State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki and Department of Agriculture Sarawak director Dominic Chunggat.
