Gula Apong to be marketed to Europe via Turkey – Fama
KUCHING: Sarawak Gula Apong or nipah palm sugar will soon enter the Europe market via Turkey, said Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) chairman Ishak Ismail.
He said this is because it is a natural sweetener and has many outstanding points and is also a health food besides being an alternative to Gula Melaka, which is made from coconut palm and white sugar.
“We will go to European markets through Turkey and we had discussions with businessmen and representatives from the Turkey government and they are very keen on taking it into the market,” he told a press conference after launching Gula Apong as Sarawak’s signature product at Medan Niaga Satok here yesterday.
“We have several locations in Europe, Asia and Middle East to market it.”
To promote Gula Apong in the international market, he said it is necessary for producers to obtain the Malaysian Good Agricultural Practices (myGAP) certification.
To increase production, he said the nipah source needs to be expanded by planting more nipah trees; entrepreneurs and youths need to take up gula apong production and there is need to market gula apong not only as a fresh produce but as Gula Apongbased products.
“I was told the response for gula apong-based products is quite high and I have tried (eaten) these products. They taste unique and I am definite this industry can be expanded.”
He informed that Fama is collecting signature products throughout Malaysia which will be launched at the national level middle of this year.
Apart from that, Fama has held various activities to encourage the public, especially youths, to take up agriculture and agriculture-based industry as it has great potential besides assisting entrepreneurs in promoting and marketing their products like designing product labels and packaging, business matching and directly promoting the products to the consumers, he said.
Meanwhile, Beting Maro assemblyman Razaili Gapor disclosed that Sarawak has a planted nipah plantation in Kampung Tambak where nipah is planted systematically by the rows in a large area.
“We need to expand so that the production of Gula Apong is continuous and to increase output. We have launched one area as Taman Agro Nipah in Kampung Tambak as a start. It is 10 acres for the first phase and the government will provide facilities to help the industry.”
Razaili also talked about the issues faced by the industry at the moment, one of them being the lack of firewood to process the ‘nira’ into sugar.
An alternative would be to use electricity or gas, he said.
“We also plan to set up a one-stop centre for collecting, processing and packaging at the park. We will start this year and we already received the funds last year and it is in the process of implementation via the ministry and department. The amount is RM2 million.
“We also have funding through the ministry to make access road because now the manufacturers need to use boats to go to the area but now to Kampung Tambak, we can use cars and motorbikes. We need to make it 100 per cent accessible via road.”
Earlier, Fama Sarawak director Shahid Abu Bakar said the objectives of the event were to promote Gula Apong products to locals and to highlight locally made products to the public, give opportunity to entrepreneurs to promote their products and to attract youths’ interest in manufacturing and marketing agriculture-based products.
A total of 128 Gula Apong entrepreneurs from Kampung Tambak, Pusa participated in the event.
Various booths were set up offering products based on gula apong and there was live demonstration on the making of Kueh Penyaram and free sampling of some of the items made using Gula Apong.
There was also a Jom Makan Buah Tempatan programme for the public to enjoy local fruits which are in season like rambutan, durian and others.
Present at the event was Puncak Borneo MP Willie Mongin.