SERIAN: The State Farmers’ Organisation (SFO), under its new management, will focus on helping farmers, breeders and fishermen to sell their produce.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said this would be one of the organisation’s primary tasks.
“The organisation has a new chairman, Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail. He is also the Assistant Minister of Agriculture.
“Under him, the organisation will be reorganised to remain more focused in serving the needs of those in the sector,” he said at the launching of the Agriculture Community Outreach Programme at Kampung Riih Daso near here on Wednesday (19 Aug).
Uggah said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg had specifically tasked the SFO to handle the facilitation.
“He has advised it to liaise with Statos (Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore) as we need to go into more overseas markets,” he added.
Uggah, who is also the Minister of Agriculture Modernisation, Native Land and Regional Development, said all Area Farmers’ Organisations (AFOs) would be asked to buy and process 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 better standard of living.
“This is the state government’s objectives for the people,” he said.
Meanwhile, Uggah said the time had now coame for farmers, breeders and fishermen to embrace science and modern technologies.
These would allow them to produce more superior goods 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, adding the people must have the discipline, passion and commitment to succeed.
Earlier, Uggah launched a community tilapia breeding project where 90,000 fry were released in nettings in the village pond.
Among those present were Bukit Semuja assemblyman John Ilus, State Agriculture Department director Dr Alvin Chai and Serian Resident Tuah Suni.
