KUCHING, March 28: The broccoli and cauliflower grown on experimental plots at the Agriculture Research Centre in Semengok near here have shown great potentials.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and his wife Datin Amar Doreen Mayang this morning visited the centre to witness for themselves the growth of the vegetables.
Accompanying them were State Agriculture Department Director Dr Alvin Chai and his group of researchers and officers.
“I am pleased to note that my officers have the findings on how to plant them.
“I have tasted both and they are actually not bad….maybe better than those imported from China and Australia because they are very fresh.
“These are high value veggies. We hope to transfer our findings to the private sector.
“They can venture into the commercial cultivation. Then, we can reduce the imports and eventually when we have the volume, we can export them,” Uggah said.
Uggah, who is also Modernisation Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Minister, said the two vegetables were grown through the fertigation system.
He gathered that the seeds used for broccoli cultivation were from Taiwan and Japan, adding that the crop can be harvested in 75 to 81 days after sowing.
For the cauliflower, both the local and Taiwanese seeds were used and can be harvested in 69 to 90 days.
Both vegetables are cultivated in sheds, fed with organic supplements according to schedule and are pesticide free.
The ultraviolet (UV) Meiryo Japan shielding material used in the sheds help to control temperature and allow sufficient sunlight to pass through.
Circulation fans installed help to improve air circulation and enhance transpiration which results in cooling effect to the plants and the surroundings.
Both vegetables have shown high tolerance to pests and diseases and lowland weather and environment.
Meanwhile, Uggah who is also Second Finance Minister also visited an experimental “Bentong” ginger cultivation plot at the centre and saw for himself the process to dehydrate the Midin Fern which gave the vegetable about a year long shelf life. — DayakDaily
