KUCHING: Sarawak is confident of having more local products with the potential for export.
“I was concerned with not having enough local products to export in the past but I am no longer worried now,” Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said after taking a walk round the ‘My Best Buy (MBB) Direct Sales From Farm (JTDL)’ programme at the Old Legislative Assembly building here yesterday.
He said with enough products to sell, Sarawak is ready to look closely at the proposal to have own aircraft to facilitate transportation of these products.
“I was informed that Fama (Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority) is bringing one ton of banana per week. Another company that I met is also going to have coconut for export. Thus, we can move towards increasing our food production,” he told the reporters after launching the event.
He continued, “The first strategy is to utilise the Collection, Processing, and Packaging Centre (CPCC). One of the centres is in Tarat, Serian and is still in the final phase of upgrading.
“Later on, we will look at the whole supply chain and facilities. For the farm, we have the facilities for initial packaging, and then wholesale areas. For example, we have been exporting almost 70 tons of durian paste this year.
“Before processing, the products have to go through a process of withholding in cold temperature of minus 45 degrees so the products can last long. All these facilities must be made available within the CPCC to ensure our products meet the requirements before being exported,” he added.
