BINTULU: The agricultural industry should move forward and keep up with modern and new developments in the industry.
Minister for Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development of Sarawak (M-FICORD), Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said, his ministry and its agencies need to go hand-in-hand in the objective of strengthening the food industry.
"The Department of Agriculture and farmers' organisations need to be aware of the importance of the food industry because we are involved in managing livestock and crops.
"For example, the rice crop yield that we are targeting in the first year is five metric tonnes but cannot be achieved in the second and third year, so we have to research and continue to improve in terms of expertise and new technology that can be used to further improve rice crop yield,” he explained.
He said this when giving his address at the Mandate Ceremony of the Sarawak Minister for Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development at a hotel here, recently.
Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi added that the leaders in each division should work together and identify the strengths of the food industry in their respective divisions in order to strengthen the agricultural sector in the state.
"Each division needs to examine the shortage of crops produced and study the core of the supply chain.
"Next, carry out research and development that can improve the productivity of targeted crops because it is important to ensure that the crops have marketable value," he said.
At the same event, Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi donated RM70,000 to the Agriculture Department Club while M-FICORD Deputy Ministers, Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail and Datuk Martin Ben each contributed RM32,000.
Also present were Advisor in the Sarawak Premier’s Office (Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development), Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom, M-FICORD Permanent Secretary, Sirai Daha, Bintulu Division Resident, Nyurak Keti, and Director of Sarawak Agriculture Department, Dominic Chunggat. -UKASnews
