Coconut industry in Sarawak has vast potentials

Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Datuk Seri Stephen Rundi Utom (centre) and his deputy Martin Ben (back row third left) withessing the exchange of the MoU documents between State Agriculture Department represented by its Director Dominic Chunggat (front row second left) with Borneo Aromatic Coconut Sdn. Bhd. represented by its Director Simon Chang See Moon (front row second right). Also witnessing back row from left are Agriculture Department Deputy Director Ronald Ripid, Ministry's Head of Policy and Development Division Dr. Gluma Saban and Ministry's Deputy Permanent Secretary Sayed Ismail Nasiruddin Datuk Seri Wan Hashim, while front row from left Agriculture Department Deputy Director (Operation Sector) Radziah Jack and Borneo Aromatic Coconut Sdn. Bhd. Tony You Toung Wee (front row right) By Ramidi Subari

BY NEVILLE TIMOTHY SANDERS & ELEAZAR BARRICK PETER

KUCHING: The estimated planted areas involving the production of coconut for Sarawak in 2022 is 12,105 hectares, said Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom.

Minister for Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development also stated that the top four divisions of planted areas for coconut are Samarahan (5,757 hectares), Mukah (2,394 hectares), Kuching (2,006 hectares) and Betong (1,537 hectares).

Dr Rundi added that coconut is one of the most primary and crucial commodities to be developed further in the coming years.

“Coconut and its based products have the potential to contribute in making Sarawak a net food exporter by the year 2030.

“This further proved where in 2021, the state exported over RM5.45 million of coconut and coconut-based products, mostly to Peninsular Malaysia (92 per cent of total exports), and in the same year, we only imported RM2.09 million of coconut and its based products,” he said.

Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Datuk Seri Stephen Rundi Utom By Ramidi Subari

He said this in his speech during the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony between Department of Agriculture Sarawak (DOA) and Borneo Aromatic Coconut Sdn Bhd here today.

On another note, Dr Rundi added that from 2021 to 2022 (within the 12th Malaysia Plan), the DOA has developed 88.5 hectares of land for new coconut production which benefitted over 66 households and conducted maintenance for 875 hectares of existing coconut farms which has benefitted 712 households.

“In the last Malaysia Plan (11MP) from 2016 to 2020, the DOA has developed 2,338 hectares of land for new coconut production which benefitted 1,939 households and conducted maintenance for 2,547 hectares of existing coconut farms which benefitted 1,944 households,” he added.

As for new areas for coconut production, he felt that more areas in Sarawak could be explored further just to keep up with the demands for coconut and its based products.

“Because to sustain is to have continuous supply, and that will ensure the security of coconut and its based productions, in addition to creating extensive profits for those involved with the coconut industry,” he added.

Also present during the MOU signing ceremony was Deputy Minister Martin Ben, director of DOA Dominic Chunggat, director of Borneo Aromatic Coconut Simon Chang See Moon and other distinguished guests.