NICHOLAS Kudi Jantai (GPS-Baleh) has urged the Sarawak government to provide specific grants to rural farmers in efforts to alleviate their burden and improve household income, particularly in Baleh.
He said farmers in rural areas are plagued by exorbitant prices for pesticides and fertilisers in the current uncertain economic environment.
“The local community has lived from farming since long ago by growing hill rice, corn and vegetables as the main source of food in addition to hunting and catching river fish.
“In the current uncertain economic situation, the farmers are very burdened because of the high prices of pesticides and expensive fertilisers,” he said.
He was debating the Sarawak Budget Bill 2023 at the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting on Friday (Nov 25).
Nicholas also pointed on the need to set up a handicraft centre in the Baleh district.
He stated that there was a need for the general public to be able to make a variety of unique and high quality handicrafts.
“However, because there is no centre to oversee these handicraft products, these things cannot be collected and offered to purchasers.
“The construction of this handicraft centre may encourage and enhance the development and maintenance of handicraft firms in a variety of ways, such as conducting research, advising services, and developing handicraft marketing,” he said.
