Developing Sabah’s agro food potential
Published on: Saturday, August 17, 2019
By: Bernama
Cattle grazing at the Desa Dairy Farm in Kundasang.
Photo Source: Desa Dairy Farm Facebook page.
Kota Kinabalu: Traversing over 1,600km across Sabah over three days is certainly an experience one would not forget, even if they have previously visited the state known as the “Land Below the Wind”.That was the experience of 60 participants of the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro Based Industry (MOA) Media Road Trip as they covered seven districts in the state within the few days.
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Participants from the peninsula and Sabah gathered at the Farmers’ Organisation Authority (LPP) office in Kota Kinabalu for a briefing before starting their journey across the state.
“This road trip is a chance for participants to get acquainted with the geography and different cultures in Sabah because it provides for the opportunity to witness the various farming activities in each district,” said the LPP State Director Anita Misuari at the briefing.
The tour, which kicked off on July 12, was to explore and publicise the development of the state’s agriculture industry and agrofood potential.
“It is also a pre-publicity platform for the 2019 Farmers, Breeders and Fishermen’s Day which will take place from Nov 28 to Dec 1 at Plaza Angsana Johor Bahru, Johor and the 2020 International Agriculture, Horticulture and Agro Tourism Exhibition,” said the MOA Media road trip secretariat Chindarayareh Jinti to Bernama.
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The programme allowed for cooperation among various related parties in coming up with ways to propel Sabah’s agriculture industry.
The first visit was to the Desa Cattle Dairy Farm in Kundasang, some 97km from here.
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The dairy farm is located at the foot of Mount Kinabalu. Many have dubbed it a “mini New Zealand”, owing to the familiar view of well-fed cows across an expanse of grass, set amid a breathtaking backdrop of the tallest mountain in Southeast Asia.
The entourage was greeted by the senior manager of the DESA Group of Companies, Emiliana Chin, who briefed them on the developments of the company, renowned in the state for its dairy products.
The company, which is in operation since 1980, produces not only fresh milk but various dairy products like yogurt and cheese. It also has several branches of DESA fresh markets across the state.
Emiliana took the participants on a tour of the farm before treating them to the different flavours of fresh milk produced by the company.
Sinar Harian journalist Muhammad Shamsul Abd Ghani from Kuala Lumpur was enraptured by the stunning views across the farm, which to him was reminiscent of the views found in countries with cooler climates.
“It is little wonder that so many would come to visit here. The views are so stunning. It turns out that you don’t need to go abroad to find a view like this,” he said.
The next stop was the agricultural produce collection centre run by the Kinabalu Area Farmers’Association (PPK), which is where highland vegetable farmers go to market their farm produce.
“The Kinabalu PPK would first check the quality of the vegetables collected before sending them to the supermarkets,” said its general manager Muhammad Irwan Maruji.
Kundasang is known for its fresh vegetables, particularly its cabbages. The Cabbage Roundabout in Kundasang town is a landmark that refers to this.
Participants were given a chance to view the process of collecting, washing and packaging the vegetables to ensure that the quality and freshness of the produce is retained from farm to table.
The entourage then continued on their journey for about 50km to Kampung Tambatuon in Kota Belud to explore the organic rice industry in the village.
It was an hour’s journey to Kota Belud, also known as Sabah’s rice bowl, but at the end of the journey participants were rewarded with a captivating view of vast green paddy fields and the clear waters of the Kadamaian River.
A variety of organic rice is grown in the area, one of which is the unique organic yam rice. Participants were served the rice at lunch and found it to taste pleasantly of yam.
The MOA Deputy Minister Sim Tze Tzin, who joined the trip to Kampung Tambatuon to launch its Rice Information Centre, expressed his hope that the Kota Belud Integrated Agriculture Development Area (IADA) would commercialise the organic rice grown there because there was a big demand for it in the market.
Rice grower Mazlin Kijoah, 31, said the Kota Belud IADA has greatly helped in teaching rice growing and fertilising techniques but hoped that the irrigation system could be upgraded because it was often clogged up during rainy season.
The next day, the entourage attended the handing over ceremony of rice harvesting machines by the Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Datuk Salahuddin Ayub to the Water Consumer Group of Kampung Merabau, some 45km from Kampung Tambatuon.
The group’s chairman Samdin Idham said that the machines were long awaited by the rice growers there. He believed that it would help them improve their rice yield and subsequently, income.
The participants then continued on their journey for two hours, eventually reaching the Pitas shrimp rearing project grounds in Kudat.
Salahuddin, who was accompanied by the MOA Secretary-General Datuk Mohd Sallehhuddin Hassan, spent some time in the area to learn about the project run by Sunlight Inno Seafood Sdn Bhd.
The project, started in 2012, has produced 17,005 tonnes of shrimp valued at RM395.9 million since five years ago. It started exporting to South Korea this year.
Salahuddin also visited the fish landing jetty of the Marudu Pitas Area Fishermen Association in Kampung Tambun, Kota Marudu and announced a RM100,000 allocation for restoration works at the jetty.
He also presented an aid of RM25,000 to five fishermen who were selected as the pioneer of a stingray catching programme.
One of the recipients, Johari Sipin, 38, said that the aid was the first he had received in his 12 years as a fishermen and that he would be using it to buy fishing equipment.
On the last day, the media entourage started as early as 6am towards Keningau, some 105km from Kota Kinabalu. The route traverses Jalan Kimanis, which cuts across the Crocker Range that separates the state’s east and west coast.
The destination was the freshwater fish rearing ponds of Datuk Yap Yun Fook – Sabah’s most prominent agricultural entrepreneur and an MOA-recognised mentor for entrepreneurs in Malaysia. Participants were also given the chance to explore the Eco-Yap cattle dairy farm as well as pineapple and durian seeding sites.
Yap, who has 37 years of experience as an agricultural entrepreneur said that a proper irrigation system was instrumental to ensuring quality fish.
Participants then travelled two hours to Kuala Penyu, where Salahuddin announced a RM200,000 aid to rebuilt Jeti Sitompok, the fish landing jetty there.
Salahuddin said Sabah was a state fortunate enough to be blessed with fertile grounds which its people could benefit from.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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