Nogeh: Good prospects in agriculture
KUCHING: Youths are encouraged to take up agriculture and agriculture-based industry as their profession to help increase the yield of local produce.
Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Anthony Nogeh Gumbek said this was important so that the country could reduce its food import bills.
“Malaysia imports over RM20 billion (worth) of agriculture and agriculture-based products yearly due to the lack in domestic production. We hope to reduce this one day but to achieve this, the youths especially are encouraged take up agriculture and agriculture-based industry,” he said at the launch of the Agriculture-based Industry State Carnival at the carpark of Mydin Bandar Baru Samariang yesterday.
He said over 90 per cent of products in the food chain could be produced here.
“Agriculture and agriculturebased industry are not merely about planting or rearing animals – they include manufacturing, processing and marketing. If you are not keen to rear chickens, you can set up a business transporting chickens instead.
“In fact, many young entrepreneurs in Peninsular Malaysia are successful in the agriculture and agriculture-based industry to the point of marketing their products overseas.
“Carnivals like this, organised by Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) and Mydin, fall under the National Blue Ocean Strategy and they are aimed at helping local entrepreneurs market their products.”
Later, Nogeh presented ‘AgroBazaar Programme’ grant of RM18,000 to Dayang Lila Bakery of Lundu, ‘Matching Change Upgrade Product’ grant of RM16,695 to Siti Hajah Enterprise of Kuching, and ‘High Impact Product’ matching grant of RM100,000 to Usna Marketing –also of Kuching.
The carnival, which opened on Dec 22, ends today.
State Fama director Paza Dan and Kuching Resident Shukarmin Chasimon were also present at the event yesterday.