BAU: The food and agriculture sector within the Puncak Borneo area, particularly for Serembu and Mambong, can be developed further if there are demands.
Deputy Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Martin Ben said if there were demands from the grassroots level to venture into agriculture and food products, the state would help to allocate funds.
“If there are demands for it and that the product can potentially be commercialised, we can help them with fund and with the product, and they can generate profit.
“I think the government is very open to new opportunities in regards to agricultural products,” said the deputy minister after the Gawea Nyebang ceremony in Kampung Gumbang on Saturday night (June 10).
However, he said it would all depend on what the locals wanted to cultivate on their land.
He said in Serembu and Mambong, coffee is cultivated because of the quality of the soil as well as the hilly terrain and humidity.
“In the end, it depends on what they want to plant so that they can generate profits. The government has a lot of outreach programmes on agriculture products and training programmes.
“Through that, they can know what they can specialise on and what product they want to cultivate.
“We can even have anchor companies to come in to support the locals in the industry which farmers will be the main supplier of the product.
“We also have experts to help with training, marketing and promotion and the use of current technology in the food and agriculture industry,” he said.
