Gregory and Grunsin shake hands after signing the MOA.
KUCHING: A collaboration between the Malaysian Pepper Board (MPB) and Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus is expected to lead to benefits for pepper farmers.
The board and Australian university recently signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to look into increasing pepper production and combating a host of pests and diseases that affect the pepper plant.
“But stepping up production is not that simple,” said MPB director-general Datuk Grunsin Ayom.
“There are numerous issues surrounding the growth of the humble pepper, the two biggest being fighting pest diseases and finding the best possible variety to grow. These issues
are best solved through biotechnology, and Swinburne is well-placed to assist us in this. It will also result in the use of fewer pesticides which is much better for our ecology,” he said.
In hailing the MOA, Swinburne Sarawak deputy vice-chancellor and chief executive officer Prof Janet Gregory said the collaboration would help students to remain up-to-date with industry practices and in the application of their knowledge.
“Our theoretical research can be applied and new knowledge is turned into know-how.
“Researchers working on this project will have access to both Swinburne’s and the pepper board’s facilities and the cost of this research will be shared, and will result in a positive research impact,” she said.
Following the MOA, two research officers from the MPB will pursue PhD degrees with Swinburne Sarawak.
They will be supervised by Dr Hwang Siaw San and will look into increasing the pepper plant’s resistance to diseases.
In addition, they will look into influencing even ripening of the fruit to increase yield as uneven ripening requires a higher input of labour for selective harvesting, contributes to low productivity and affects the quality of pepper products.
Hwang is an active bio-geochemistry biotechnology researcher and is currently studying the antioxidant properties of rice bran with the Sarawak General Hospital Heart Centre, Swinburne University in Melbourne and Okayama University in Japan.
Malaysia is one of the largest pepper producers in the world, with Sarawak accounting for 95 per cent of production.
In 2014, 28,300 tons of black pepper had an export value of RM514 million, while white pepper prices are at a premium and remain consistent.
According to the State Farmers Organisation Sarawak, pepper is one of the cash crops supporting the livelihood of some 67,000 rural dwellers in upland areas of the state.
While demand increases at 7 per cent annually, production has a growth of only 0.7 per cent each year, prompting the government to set an output increase of 30 per cent for MPB.