Revamped State Farmers’ Organisation to focus on sales
SERIAN: The State Farmers’ Organisation (SFO), which is under new management, will focus on helping farmers, breeders, and fishermen sell their produce.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who is Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land, and Regional Development, said this would be one of SFO’s primary tasks.
“The organisation has a new chairman in the person of Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail. He is also the Assistant Minister of Agriculture.
“Under him, the organisation will be reorganised to remain more focussed on serving the needs of those in the sector,” Uggah said at the launching of the Agriculture Community Outreach Programme in Kampung Riih Daso near here on Wednesday.
Uggah said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg had specifically given SFO the task.
“He has advised it to liaise with the Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office in Singapore or Statos. We need to go into more overseas markets,” he said.
Uggah said all Area Farmers’ Organisations (AFOs) would also be tasked with buying and processing local products.
“Our farmers in particular have all along faced this problem of marketing. We want to help each farming family to have a monthly income of RM4,000 from their efforts.
“Then they can have a be er standard of living. This is the state government’s objective for the people,” he said.
He also said the time has come
The organisation has a new chairman in the person of Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail. He is also the Assistant Minister of Agriculture. Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas
for Sarawak’s farmers, breeders, and fishermen to embrace science and modern technology in their respective undertakings.
Uggah said this would allow them to produce more superior goods in order to compete with other producers in Asia.
“We are already selling 2,000 live pigs to Singapore every week besides our tilapia fish.
“We are also selling our durian paste to China and Taiwan. And obviously we still have many more potential products for export,” he said.
He added the people must have the discipline, passion, and commitment to succeed.
Meanwhile, Uggah also launched a community tilapia breeding project in Riih Daso, where 90,000 fish fry were released in ne ing in the village pond.
A sum of RM300,000 has been allocated to the project, which commenced in June.
Bukit Simuja assemblyman John Ilus, Sarawak Agriculture Department director Dr Alvin Chai, and Serian Resident Tuah Suni were among those present.