BY LEE SHAW WEI, NATASHA JEE & MA CHEE SENG
IN order to be food sufficient, net food exporter and high-income farmers by 2030, Sarawak requires land resource apart from leveraging on agrotechnology.
In this regard, Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said that his ministry will continue to promote opening up of more Native Land to cater not only for commodity crops but also for food production which include fruit trees, paddy, livestock and aquaculture.
“As at September 30, 48 oil palm projects undertaken by Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA) under the New NCR Land Development Concept, with a gross area of 350,194.9 hectares have been approved under this development concept where about 114,121 hectares of land have been consented by 17,643 landowners for the development.
“Out of the total surrendered area, 93,422 hectares (82%) has been developed,” Dr Rundi revealed.
Dr Rundi pointed out that the aforementioned projects are a joint venture initiative with private investors to develop Native Land for oil palm plantations.
