Agricultural collection centre through JV in Selangau proposed
SELANGAU: Assistant Minister of Agriculture Malcolm Mussen Lamoh said he would like to see a joint venture between government agencies, cooperatives and the private sector to set up an agricultural collection centre here.
This would help local farmers market their produce, he said when officiating at the ‘ Nanga Sekuau Agropolitan Plantation Agreement and Deed of Trust Letters’ signing ceremony between project participants and the Land Custody and Development Authority ( LCDA) held at a multipurpose hall in Nanga Sekuau Resettlement Scheme here yesterday.
He said the state government saw the need to set up a big scale farmers’ market in Sibu and Kapit like Medan Niaga Satok in Kuching.
Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said during the fourth anniversary celebration of Medan Niaga Satok on Feb 11 in Kuching that the state government was ready to offer the Federal Agricultural
This means that the government can also build collection and grading centres for agricultural produce. Malcolm Mussen Lamoh, Assistant Minister of Agriculture
Marketing Authority ( FAMA) a plot of land in Sibu and Kapit to build such markets.
“This means that the government can also build collection and grading centres for agricultural produce.
“In order to have such facilities built here, the government should encourage local farmers to plant more so there is sufficient production,” Malcolm said.
On the agropolitan project, he said it was right that the government used new economic development schemes to improve the livelihood of the people, particularly those resettled or relocated.
He advised those present not to just depend on planting rubber which is subject to f luctuating prices but they should also plant other crops or venture into other income-generating activities.
Meanwhile, the agropolitan project is a programme under the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development and coordinated by the state government to eradicate poverty in rural areas.
It involves developing land in isolated and idle areas by planting oil palm or rubber commercially.
For the project at Nanga Sekuau, Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority has planted rubber on 493 hectares since 2011, involving a total of 517 participants.
The participants are longhouse residents who were resettled by the government under the Rajang Area Security Command ( RASCOM) at Nanga Sekuau during the communist insurgency in the 1970s.
Also present at the function were Tamin assemblyman Christopher Gira Sambang, Sibu Resident Hii Chang Kee, political secretary to the Chief Minister Edwin Banta and Sekuau Resettlement Scheme Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) chairman Henry Kanyan.