BAU, Aug 19: Singapore has indicated its interest to buy prawn, terung assam (native brinjal), guava and tilapia fish from Sarawak.
Deputy chief minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said this was made known at the launch of the Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (Statos) in the island republic recently.
“This is another good beginning. Our farmers and agropreneurs should make full use of this opportunity,” said Uggah when launching Serembu GPS at the Kampong Skio multipurpose hall here yesterday.
He said Sarawak has been exporting 1,200 live pigs each week to Singapore and he expected the demand to increase.
“Now that we have a new market for our prawn, dehydrated terong assam, guava and tilapia, we must ensure we have the constant volume. At the same time, we must not neglect the quality which will allow us to penetrate outside markets,” he said.
Uggah said both perquisites of quality and volume were attainable through adopting modern farming technology and methods such as fertigation.
He said the government is now in the midst of transforming the state agriculture sector through modern farming to make the state a net food exporter of food by 2030, in line with the aspiration of the chief minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Uggah who is Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Minister stressed that for the vision to materialised, the government needed the support and participation of all including elected representatives.
At the function, Uggah announced the approval of a grant of RM500,000 for ginger, pineapple and corn farming in the area.
He also approved RM100,000 from Unit for Other Religions (UNIFOR) to upgrade St Edward Catholic Church. — DayakDaily
