• Leveraging on research to produce value-added products
Besides that, the state government encourages the production of niche products using indigenous fruits for sale and exports.
This follows the launching of a new product, SaraChocS, a unique agro-based products manufactured from cocoa recently.
Uggah noted agriculture produce from indigenous fruits are produced through collaboration between the DOA, Malaysian Cocoa Board and Sarawak Institute of Agriculture Scientists as niche or specialty products of Sarawak.
Uggah disclosed that Sarawak produced about 3.5 million tonnes of cocoa each year.
He believed the rising incomes in emerging markets like China and India could spur demand growth for cocoa by approximately 30 per cent to more than 4.5 million tonnes by 2020.
Thus, he opined that the increasing demand scenario could benefit agriculture producers such as farmers in the state.
On another note, Uggah noted the DOA through its Crop Research Division is researching and developing value- added products based on indigenous fruits.
He observed examples of valueadded products produced using indigenous fruits from ‘Dabai’ or Sibu olive fruit were roasted kennel, dried dabai, dabai cakes, dabai soap and dabai ice-cream.
Uggah added value-added products developed from another indigenous fruit, Terung Asam Sarawak were juice, jam, dehydrated slices and ice-cream.
He revealed that apart from dabai and ‘terung asam’, DOA is also actively researching on methods to enhance the shelf-life of other indigenous fruits like “Kelampai’ ( Elateriospermum
tapos) and ‘ Merenti’ ( Ostodes pauciflora).
Uggah noted, “Those two fruits produce nuts that are rich in nutrition if proper post-harvest handlings are adopted.
“With the development of value-added products and proper market research and marketing strategies, the two nuts, I believe can stand tall amongst the other world famous nuts such as almond and walnut,” he said.
Uggah highlighted that Sarawak is one of the biodiversity hotspots in the world.
Hence, he said the government hopes that the rich-bioresources in Sarawak are harnessed actively and also in a sustainable way.
Meanwhile, Assistant Minister for Science Research and Biotechnology Dr Annuar Rapa’ee said the state government has several initiatives in place to drive research in various sectors such as agriculture, natural products and crops to enhance the development of bio-tech based products in Sarawak.
He disclosed during the recent State Legislative Assembly that the research institutions and agencies involved were Agriculture Research Centre, Sarawak Biodiversity Centre, CRAUN Research Sdn Bhd and Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi).
“These research institutions and agencies are there to harness the state’s local and indigenous biological resources such as food crops, useful plants and microbes to be researched and developed using biotechnology to produce enhanced biotech- based products,” he said.
Dr Annuar further revealed that the incorporation of new growth areas in the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) with one of the focus being biotechnology to support the state’s bio-industry as well as the development of agriculture and agro-biotech in the SCORE areas.
He added the Mukah Science Park would play a key role in providing the infrastructure to establish biotech-related research to develop products from industries such as palm oil, timber-based products sago products, aquaculture, food and non food processing for the Halal market. healthcare and herbal or natural products.
Moreover, Dr. Annuar disclosed that research-oriented institutions of higher learning such as Unimas, UPM Bintulu, UiTM Kota Samarahan, Curtin University Sarawak and Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak carry out academic and research programmes in biotech.
In particular, he noted Curtin University Sarawak is also setting up a BioValley Park in Miri in partnership with the Ministry of Industrial and Entrepreneur Development, Trade and Investment. Dr Annuar observed that the RM50 million BioValley Park would include infrastructure and facilities to facilitate production of higher value-added products through pilot scale production, product analysis, quality assurance and routine testing.
He pointed out that the facility will further boost research and development and the biotech industry in Sarawak especially in relation to SCORE.