Tarat to house durian centre for Serian
TEBEDU: A collection and processing centre for durians and other agricultural produce in Serian will be built in Tarat, says Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
He also discloses that the government is now in a discussion with a potential anchor company to run the centre, enabling the collection and processing of durians to be exported overseas.
“I know the durians from Serian are ‘ laku’ ( highly sought after); thus, I hope that this arrangement would increase sales and improve farmers’ incomes,” he said at a ‘ Leaders Meet People’ session during a working visit to Kampung Terbat Mawang yesterday.
According to Uggah – also the Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Minister, the company invited to run this centre has over 30 years’ worth of experience and is considered an expert in durian processing, having already exported durianbased products to six countries.
“We hope by the end of this year, they would run this centre.
“This is in line with the vision of our Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg to make Sarawak the main exporter of fruits and food products,” he said.
Uggah also said the Serian Division Agriculture Office, as the secretariat of Serian Division Rural Transformation Committee, would be tasked with conducting a study on the current, potential and future agricultural activities for the division, stressing that the outcome of this study is vital in the planning of the rural transformation programmes in Serian.
“I hope that the Serian Resident, as chairman of the committee, would come up with proposed programmes when meeting us (rural transformation main committee). Then, we would implement these programmes together with the federal Rural and Regional Development Ministry.
“Our aim to increase the rural household income to at least RM4,000 per month. I believe this is not impossible to achieve.”
Uggah also spoke about the RM100-million venture capital announced by Abang Johari in July to groom and empower rural agropreneurs, in that he ( Uggah) is looking forward to discussing this matter with the local elected representatives in Serian.
“This to ensure every inch of NCR ( Native Customary Rights) land would be utilised in producing crops and being developed with commercial activities slated for helping the people generate better incomes.”
Uggah also praised Kampung Terbat Mawang for its successful ‘ tagang’ (controlled fisheries) project, which is now becoming the village’s income- generator through the breeding of highlyprized riverine fish including the ‘empurau’ and ‘semah’.
He said former deputy chief minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu released 3,000 fish fry – including 1,000 empurau fry – in 2015, which by now should have grown into marketable sizes.
“This ‘ tagang’ system can also become a tourist’s attraction since this village is only 102km from Kuching. In Sabah, similar (tagang) projects attract a lot of visitors,” he said.
Meanwhile at the same function, Kedup assemblyman Martin Ben proposed for the establishment of a recreation centre near the ‘tagang’ project site to attract more tourists.
Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi, Bukit Semuja assemblyman John Ilus, political secretary to Human Resources Minister Major ( Rtd) Datuk Peter Runin, political secretary to chief minister John David Nyauh, Serian Resident Johnathan Lugoh and Tebedu District Officer Raymond Achen were also present.
Prior to the session, Uggah declared open the Kampung Terbat Mawang security and development committee (JKKK) operations centre, which was built using the RM105,000 allocation from the federal Rural and Regional Development Ministry.
Uggah also pledged RM10,000 to the JKKK.