Don’t just depend on subsidies, pepper planters told
KUCHING: Pepper planters in the state are reminded not to depend solely on subsidies or financial assistance provided by the government to solve problems faced by the industry.
Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok said the government is aware of the challenges faced by pepper industry players including smallholders particularly in terms of pepper price drop and diseases affecting the pepper plants.
“We know the challenges faced by these pepper industry players but the solution is not through subsidies provided by the government because by giving subsidies, this will not solve the problem holistically.
“Instead we ought to find different measures such as promoting Sarawak pepper because there is already a market for it internationally,” she said during a town hall session with pepper industry players and stakeholders at a leading hotel here on Tuesday night.
Kok said the previous government had allocated RM60 million under the 11th Malaysia Plan to assist farmers and smallholders including those in the pepper industry in the form of fertilisers, pesticide and so on.
“But what is important now is for us to come up with ways to promote pepper products. That is why I need your cooperation in giving suggestions to my ministry because many of you here are seasoned pepper farmers who have been in this industry for a long time.”
Meanwhile, Malaysian Pepper Board (MPB) chairman Larry Sng said the government through MPB had carried out many initiatives to promote pepper planting to the community such as courses on pepper production technology, talks and dialogues.
“These are all intended to provide an insight into the proper cultivation techniques of pepper to produce more pepper which are of quality.”
As an example, he said earlier this month, two dialogues were held with pepper industry players from Sarikei Division and Pakan District which received encouraging response from participants.
He expressed his confidence that through such programme, more issues can be brought up for discussion through effective question and answer sessions.
“If finance and economy permit, it is not wrong to hold such dialogue sessions in the future to ensure that every pepper industry players in the country receives the latest and accurate information on the country's pepper industry.”
Also present were Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Ministry of Primary Industries secretary general Datuk Zurina Pawanteh and Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii, who is also MPB board member.