SARAWAK’s indigenous fruits and vegetables could be commercialised and mass produced, said Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Openg.

He said indigenous crops like “terung asam”, which is popular in Sarawak, could be further developed on a large scale with added value.

Abang Johari said the state government has established the Sago and Nipah Development Board of Sarawak to spur the expansion of the industry of both commodities.

“The modern agriculture community must identify these indigenous products that can be mass produced, but at the same time we must maintain the quality of our products,” he said in his speech at the First Sarawak-Dutch Food Security Workshop in Kuching today.

The workshop was also attended by the Netherlands’ Ambassador to Malaysia Jacques Werner.

Abang Johari said the adaptation of technology is vital for modern farmers to change the farming process, especially to produce higher yields.

He said the state government is working with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) to increase the yield of padi by at least three times over 18 months.

“When I mention this to our padi cultivators and farmers, they say it cannot be done, and that it (padi) can only be (harvested) once in a year.

“I have given UPM RM3 million to start this project, and if this project is successful we can use the template in another area,” he added. – Bernama, January 17, 2023.