KUCHING: The state government is planning to diversify its agriculture industry by making fresh produce into canned or packaged foods, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
He said that RM19.5 million had been allocated for the state to develop the agro-based industries in the effort to make Sarawak a net exporter of food products by 2030.
“We are looking into how to make use of unsold fresh vegetables and fruits to be processed into preserved vegetables or fruit jams, chips or tarts,” he added during the closing ceremony of the Entrepreneurship Course in Food Processing Skills in Bakery and Frozen Food at Penview Hotel here yesterday.
Uggah, who is also the Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Minister, said almost 40 percent of fresh pineapples could not be sold to the market as it did not meet the fresh market’s requirement.
“We have products like chillies, durians, pineapples, bananas, and “terung asam”. If these fresh produce are sold at the same time we process the unsold produce, it will definitely increase the farmers’ source of revenue.
“We have a vast land and an abundance of potential. It is just the matter of the right model that we must adopt,” he stressed.
Uggah also said that the state government would be adopting anchor companies with upstream experience in agriculture such as Top Fruits Sdn Bhd, Rh Agrotech Sdn Bhd, Banana Tree Sdn Bhd and several other companies to further develop agro-based industries.
“With these types of companies leading us in the industry, the state will be able to leapfrog to become the main food exporter,” he pointed out.
He said when farmers have better income, the gap between the rural and urban could be bridged.
“For the state to achieve its goal in becoming the main exporter, we will need to provide more training for entrepreneurs to learn food processing technique including on how to set up food processing factories.”
Earlier, a total of 22 students received their certificates for completing the Entrepreneurship Course in Food Processing Skills in Bakery and Frozen Food.
Also present were Sarawak Agriculture Department acting director Dr Alvin Chai and permanent secretary to the Ministry of Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Datuk Ik Pahon.
