BANGKOK: The Betong Division Development Agency (BDDA) has set out to learn from the advanced agricultural development and expertise available in Thailand.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said this before leading the team to visit Ratchaburi Province famed for its aromatic coconut specie, mango, guava, pineapple and other tropical fruits.
Uggah said another reason is that they share almost the same climatic conditions besides being from the Asean region.
“Thailand has been well-known for its highly developed food industry, beginning from the planting materials to production, processing and marketing network. We notice that Thailand obviously has a very sophisticated whole supply chain.
“They are incredibly well organised, and this is something we want to emulate.
“Another plus point is Thailand enjoys a market network all over the world which assists their farmers to sell their products,” he said.
Uggah said marketing is a crucial matter and that one of the state’s biggest challenges is whether all the produce such as vegetables, fruits, food or livestock products can find their way to the market for farmers to increase their income.
“So this trip is a very good exposure, learning experience to the BDDA team.
“It gives them food for thought in their efforts to help Betong farmers develop, commercialise their undertakings, and eventually to market their products outside the state and beyond.”
Uggah reiterated that BDDA’s foremost aim is to come up with ways and means to improve the livelihood of the people to increase their income.
“But we need to have proper planning, guidance and management of the whole supply chain so that they can come up not only with the quantity but quality as well.
“We have the land, we have the people who are not strangers to hard work and we also have the agropreneurs ready to collaborate with investors,” he stated.
Meanwhile, on the team’s visit to the Betagro Food Innovation Centre recently, he described it as a very exciting eye opener.
“This Betagro Corporation is a world class agro food company set up 57 years ago.
“Its core business is developing and innovating food products with its supply chain….. beginning from the farm to the slaughter house for livestock, processing, packaging and lastly the packaging and marketing.
“Betagro is always innovating and developing food products to suit modern lifestyle and into the future. The corporation too prides itself through its smart farming practices, antibiotic free livestock breeding plus its own world class laboratory and biosecurity measures,” he said.
Uggah said they are looking forward to collaborating with Betagro in marketing their products through their expertise, innovation and markets.
