PUSA: A total of RM2.3 million has been allocated for the upgrading of Depo Pusa, making the Batang Lupar constituency a major producer of agricultural products. Depo Pusa is the office of Kalaka-Saribas-Betong Integrated Agricultural Development Area (IADA).
It is a centre for training, collection, grading and packaging of agricultural products under the IADA project. Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said Depo Pusa aimed to improve agricultural developments such as pineapples.
“Agriculture is very important because it is not only a food resource but also creates wealth,” he said at the opening ceremony of Kalaka-Saribas-Betong IADA office here yesterday. Also present were Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim and Beting Maro Assemblyman Razaili Gapo.
At the event, Shabery handed over pineapple plantation assistance to participants from Kampung Beladin worth RM2 million, Kampung Beladin (MD2 pineapple support worth RM700,000) and Kampung Sungai Lamun (MD2 pineapple support worth RM300,000).
He also handed over RM200,000 in assistance for seedlings and prawn food for aquaculture projects to participants from Kampung Maludam. IADA Kalaka-Saribas-Betong is also a centre for commercial crops, especially for paddy crops and provides facilities such as advisory services, training courses, and technical skills training.
Its function is to help increase the income of target groups through potential crop development, enhancing infrastructure development for commercial crop development. Additionally, it helps to advance existing local agricultural resources such as downstream and upstream industries to generate additional income by providing job opportunities.
IADA Kalaka-Saribas-Betong covers an area of 418,080 hectares involving the development of crops, livestock, aquaculture, agro-based industries and infrastructure development.
