NO MORE agropolitan projects will be approved with the programme set to be replaced by Program Projek Bersepadu Pembangunan Ekonomi Kampung (PROSPEK).
“Two PROSPEK projects have been approved, namely PROSPEK Matu (2019) and PROSPEK Lawas (2022) but the existing agropolitan projects will continue to be developed,” said Deputy Minister for Modernisation and Agriculture and Regional Development Datuk Abdul Rahman Ismail.
He said that the Ministry has implemented agropolitan projects in Sarawak since 2009, namely in Batang Lupar, Sri Aman; Batang Sadong, Samarahan; Pulau Bruit, Mukah; Gunung Sadok, Betong; and Nanga Sekuau, Sibu.
Abdul Rahman however said several potential areas have been identified for continued development within the agropolitan area of Gunung Sadok and that two proposals are now under consideration.
He said it involved a proposal for a rubber estate with an estimated area of 1,104 hectares located in Entaih, Ulu Gerenjang and Ng Long, Ulu Krian and a proposal for an oil palm estate with an estimated area of 2,447 hectares in the Ulu Sebetan-Ulu Awik area.
“For the agropolitan area within Gunung Sadok, rubber plantations have been implemented starting in 2010 and a total of 322.57 hectares have been developed by the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (RISDA) through four phases and completed on May 30, 2021,” he said this in response to Friday Belik (GPS-Krian) during question time at the DUN sitting on Monday (May 23).
To another supplementary question on the other agricultural projects in the agropolitan area of Gunung Sadok, Abdul Rahman said there are several projects that have been implemented.
The Sarawak Department of Agriculture (DOA) has implemented several agricultural projects such as pepper, durian, coconut bar crops, palm oil and cash crops; Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (SALCRA) has developed three oil palm estates, namely the Saratok Palm Oil Estate, South Roban and Saribas involving about 4,261 hectares; Integrated Agricultural Development Area (IADA) Kalaka-Saribas-Betong implemented eight agriculture development projects, namely the Pineapple Crop Development Project, Fruit Development Project, Integration Development Project, Agriculture, Vegetable and Cash Crop Development Project, Livestock Industry Development Project, Agro-food Development project, Aquaculture Industry Development Project and Fertigation Technology Development Project.
