KUCHING: The state government through the Department of Agriculture (DOA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Borneo Stingless Bee Sdn Bhd (BSB).
The MoU signing ceremony was witnessed by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here, yesterday. Speaking during the event, Uggah said that through the MoU, DOA will diversify as well as provide another source of income for local farmers.
“To move forward, we need an anchor company and if it’s being sold overseas, we need to have stringent requirements. “We will work out the details of the agreement which will help our rural farmers,” he said. He added that the production of kelulut honey is simple in the sense that the bees can source for their own food, meaning that they do not need to be fed.
“They can look for food themselves and we just have to extract the honey,” said Uggah, who is also Minister for Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land, and Regional Development. The objective of the MoU is to promote and enhance cooperation of the kelulut honey industry in the state along with the whole supply and value chain.
The areas of cooperat ion include quality production, promotion and marketing, research and development, transfer and exchange of knowledge and innovative technology, and any other areas of cooperation which are to be jointly arranged by both parties.
Among those present were Assistant Minister for Native Land Development Datuk Roland Sagah, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Datu Ik Pahon, DOA Acting Director Dr Alvin Chai Lian Kuet and BSB directors Tan Chun Chuang and Tan Kai Yong.
