KUCHING: Two main anchor companies namely Top Fruits (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd and Rimbunan Hijau Sdn Bhd will play a major role to help boost the rural economy in the state through agriculture industry.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said that by having these two anchor companies, it would help diversify the downstream of the agricultural industry in the state.
He said both companies would form a complete supply chain which in turn would help the local farmers to maintain their fruit production through a strategic partnership.
“To be the net exporter of food by 2030, one of the initiatives to achieve this goal is through close collaboration with private sector that has the technology, management, expertise, capital and ready access markets both at domestic and global arena.
“With a good government programme, good weather and good hardworking people, the government’s plan to make Sarawak to be one of the top states producing food, will materialise,” said Uggah.
He said this at the signing ceremony of license agreement between the state government represented by Department of Agriculture (DOA) with Top Fruits (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd, as well as Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) sigining ceremony between DOA and Rimbunan Hijau Sdn Bhd at Imperial Hotel here yesterday.
The license agreement signing is the first between the state government and Top Fruits (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd, while the MoU signing is the second time between state government and Rimbunan Hijau Sdn Bhd. Uggah also noted the need of private sector investment injection into the state economy through agriculture sector is very much welcome.
“We shall transform the agriculture sector through modernising and commercialising the industry along the whole supply and value chain, by adopting new business models with application of latest production technology, and also leveraging on ICT and digital technology,” stressed Uggah who is also the Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Minister.
Meanwhile, the license agreement between the state government and Top Fruits (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd would make them the operator for collecting, processing and packaging centre at (CPPC) in Tarat and Serian, once the renovation and upgrading works are completed.
For Rimbunan Hijau Sdn Bhd, the MoU signing is aimed to promote and enhance cooperation in the development of Kelulut industry in Sarawak, along with the whole supply and value chain.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development has given assurance that the tilapia fish from Batang Ai which are affected by Tilapia Lake Virus Disease (TILV) are safe for human consumption.
In a press statement yesterday, Uggah assured the public that the TILV disease is not zoonotic (only affecting the fish) and does not affect human.
“The TiLV is not an isolated case in Sarawak as the disease has affected other states earlier last year. Neighbouring countries like Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia were affected first. In Malaysia, the first state affected was Perlis, followed by Kedah, Sarawak and now Negri Sembilan,” he said.
According to him, the Ministry wished to alert all fish breeders that TiLV disease has been detected at the Sarawak Batang Ai cage culture which is currently affecting 0.09 percent of the area. “Effective yesterday, we ban the movement of all tilapia breeders and fry from Batang Ai and all surrounding related hatcheries,” stressed the Deputy Chief Minister.
