KUCHING: The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) will work out a mechanism for durian farmers in areas under the imposition of the Covid-19 lockdown to bring out their fruits to the market.
SDMC chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said he would discuss with the respective Divisional Health Departments to work out a suitable arrangement on the matter.
“We have to work out an arrangement to help the affected farmers as durian is a perishable fruit and must be collected as soon as possible.
“However, it has not been a bumper season for the fruit here but Top Fruits (Sarawak Sdn Bhd) will continue to buy whatever is available,” he said after visiting the durian collecting, processing and packaging centre (CPPC) in Tarat, Serian yesterday (Aug 22).
Uggah, who is also Minister for Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development (Manred), said Top Fruits spent about RM1.14 million in 2019 to buy an estimated total of 670 metric tonnes of fresh durian from local farmers in Bau, Serian, Padawan and Siburan.
He also mentioned that Top Fruits, which is also an anchor company specialising in fresh durian fruit and frozen durian paste processing for overseas exports, has successfully exported an estimated 122 metric tonnes of durian paste and pulps worth RM2.28 million.
Stressing on such centres as a government strategy to be a net agro-food exporter by 2030, Uggah said that the government is planning to develop more CPPCs in the state under the 12th Malaysia Plan.
“They would meet international food safety, quality and sustainability standards like the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point and the Good Manufacturing Practices.
“We now have five other CPPCs in various stages of implementation. We have one in Lawas and one in Limbang for dried fruit processing.
“Lawas CPPC is already completed and will be handed over to the Agriculture Department soon while the Limbang CPPC is in the midst of completion,” he said.
He added that the CPPCs for Layar, Long Lama and Kapit are now at the planning stage.
Also present during the visit were Manred permanent secretary to his ministry Edwin Abit, Agriculture Department director Dr Alvin Chai and Top Fruits Sarawak director Chong Yie Loong.
