PADAWAN: The state constituency of Mambong is now the state’s coffee belt, said its assemblyman Datuk Dr Jerip Susil.
According to him, more than 1,000 villagers in the Mambong constituency have been cultivating Liberica coffee since more than three years ago.
“Their crops have already yielded and we feel proud of their results that Mambong has now emerged as the state’s coffee belt,” he told reporters after officiating the Kampung Braang Sigandar multi-purpose hall at Jalan Borneo Heights-Teng Bukap here today.
Dr Jerip, who is also Deputy Minister of Transport, said as a result there are now three companies producing coffee powder branded as Kopi Katup, Kopi Kura-Kura and DrKofi.
Jerip said that each participant of the programme, which is under the Sarawak Department of Agriculture, was provided with 800 Liberica coffee tree seedlings, in addition to free supplies of fertilisers, pesticides and agricultural equipment.
He urged those who are interested in participating in the coffee planting project to register themselves so that the supply of coffee seedlings can also be distributed to them along with free fertilisers, pesticides and agricultural equipment.
Dr Jerip also urged housewives in his constituency to be involved in small businesses like banana and tapioca chips making to supplement their income.
He said that a banana and tapioca chip making course was held here and for now several housewives in Kampung Punau, Kampung Bunuk and Kampung Semadang have already started their banana and tapioca chips making.
Meanwhile, commenting on the Native Customary Rights (NCR) land documentation programme, Jerip urged every village and landowner in the constituency to speed up their survey and documentation works through the Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA).
He said only the DBNA is authorised to document the NCR land of the Bidayuh community because the Land and Survey Department will only make reference to the DBNA before issuing a title deed.
He said any village that needs allocation for the purpose of surveying and documenting land can apply for a grant from him.
Meanwhile, Jerip also urged landowners to give permission for the construction of agricultural road projects in their respective areas or villages, adding that no compensation will be paid for any land used for this purpose.
“This is important so that the construction of agricultural roads can be carried out without any interruption, because the construction is very important to allow the landowners to explore and develop their land with various crops to improve their economy,” he said.
According to Jerip, so far the landowners have cooperated very well by giving permission to pass through their land for the construction of agricultural roads.
