Tenom: Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Chan Foong Hin called on Sabah to embrace pepper as a new economic crop, highlighting the state’s potential to become Malaysia’s second largest pepper producer.
Speaking at the “Pepper Industry Empowerment Program” in Tenom, Thursday, Chan emphasized the suitability of pepper cultivation in Sabah’s terrain, similar to Sarawak, which is currently Malaysia’s leading pepper producer.
He also pointed out that pepper is a low-maintenance crop suitable for small-scale farmers and can be grown even in backyards, making it an accessible income source for rural communities.
“Tenom, with its fertile land, is well-positioned to become a major pepper-producing region,” he stated, urging residents to capitalize on the unique characteristics of pepper and consider it as an alternative crop alongside coffee, cocoa, corn, and soybeans.
At the sametime, Chan highlighted the promising opportunities in the pepper downstream sector, citing the high demand for Malaysian pepper in international markets like China, South Korea, and Singapore.
He pointed to the recent success of the Malaysian Pepper Board (MPB) in securing a RM3.9 million export deal with Tingyi Holdings Group, a major food manufacturer in China, as an example of the growing demand for Malaysian pepper.
“The downstream sector can attract both domestic and foreign investment, creating wider business opportunities, particularly for pepper-based products…Tenom, already known as Sabah’s Coffee Capital, can also establish a distinct ‘Tenom Pepper’ brand by fully utilizing its potential,”he stressed.
The Deputy Minister also announced that the government has allocated RM50 million under the 12th Malaysia Plan (RMK-12) for the Pepper Industry Upstream Development Program (PHIL), which includes the New Pepper Planting Scheme (STLB) and the Mature Pepper Planting Scheme (STLM).
He said the RM5 million allocated for the Pepper Entrepreneurship Development Program, aimed at empowering the pepper downstream sector through funding and training initiatives.
In conclusion, Chan commended the MPB for organizing the program and expressed confidence that the initiative would empower pepper growers and entrepreneurs in Tenom and Sabah.
He officially launched the “Pepper Industry Empowerment Program” for Sabah in 2024, organized by the MPB.
