Uggah: S’wak to export 80 pct of its pineapple
KUCHING: Sarawak targets to export 80 per cent of its pineapples by 2030, says Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah.
Uggah, who is Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development, said this could be achieved once Sarawak has achieved the 16,000ha target of harvested pineapple areas.
He said the Sarawak government was serious in developing the agrofood sector as one of ways to develop the economy, and his ministry had identified pineapple as among the most potential commercial crop.
“Pineapples of the MD2 variety is identified as a crop that can propel the agriculture sector in Sarawak to greater height. Since we have huge tracts of land, a target is being set to produce pineapples from 16,000ha of land by 2030, of which 80 per cent will be for export,” he said.
Uggah said these in his text of speech read by Assistant Minister of Native Land Development Datuk Roland Sagah who represented him at the launch of Nenas Berambah @ Plaza Merdeka organised jointly by the shopping mall and Malaysia Pineapple Industry Board (LPNM) yesterday.
Uggah, also said his ministry was working together with LPNM to realise the target, and this is evidenced by the allocation of RM25 million over five years of the 11th Malaysian Plan (11MP), including RM6 million that has been allocated this year.
He said the Sarawak government also allocated RM2 million for pineapple planting development programme under the Department of Agriculture.
“The 11MP ends this year, and 12MP will start in 2020. Therefore, I hope LPNM will continue to give sufficient allocation throughout the 12MP period to continue this momentum of pineapple industry development in Sarawak,” he said.
He also said the government welcomed the participation of the private sector to also invest in the pineapple industry, and help to realise Sarawak’s target of becoming the main producer and exporter of agriculture produce by 2030.
Assistant Minister of Agriculture Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail, LPNM director (strategic planning) Onn Abdul Shukor Tahiruddin, LPNM Sarawak director Mohd Suffian Sahmat and DOA deputy director Ngab Dollah Salim were also present at the launch.