KUCHING, Oct 18: The Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Ministry will assist and guide interested food manufacturers to meet the required standards to market their products worldwide.
Its minister, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said there are many food product manufacturers in the state, judging by the numbers of participation during expos and exhibitions of the agricultural and cottage industries.
However, many of the businesses could not penetrate the international market because they did not meet the required standards for the global market.
“We can do it but you must understand that in each country, they have their own food standards, especially on health and good manufacturing processes.
“Next year, the ministry will focus on assisting and guiding companies intending to export their products to get the certification of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), so that they can penetrate the global market,” he told reporters at Senari Port at Bako, here, today.
The deputy chief minister was launching the export of “banaBee banana chips” by local company MyBanabee (M) Sdn Bhd to Guangzhao, China.
This is the second year the company exported its banana chips to China, with 680 boxes of 24 packs per box.
Uggah said most local manufacturers are producing for local consumption, meeting to Sarawak standards. Citing China as a massive export market, he reminded the need to meet to its health standards among others.
“You must meet the requirements. I have experience because I was with the (federal) Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodity. Even our palm oil products must meet the Chinese food standards.
“So every food products in every country from Europe to China and Japan, they have their own standards.”
Uggah said the ministry will carry out awareness programme to help entrepreneurs considering that many are not meeting to the GMP and HACCP.
He also urged local entrepreneurs to be productive and competitive in terms of pricing, as both quality and price determines the fate of the products they are trying to market regardless the location.
“So what we see this morning (locally manufactured banana chips export to China) is ‘Sarawak boleh’, we have done it and I’m sure many more can do it,” he said. — DayakDaily
