Uggah assures govt aid for commodity farmers

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Uggah (left) takes a snapshot of the women from Rh Linggie who recently completed their six-month embroidery course, during a walkabout there.

KUCHING: Oil palm, rubber and pepper farmers in Sarawak are not alone in facing the effects of the current drastic drop in prices of these commodities.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said the state government would come to their aid with fertiliser and other farming inputs for them to maintain their farms.

Likewise, he hoped the farmers would not abandon their farms because of the situation.

“I would not say the assistance would be sufficient but they can at least lighten the burden faced,” he said yesterday.

According to him, the price drop is due to world market factors and he hoped the new federal government could come up with amicable solutions soon.

“When the rural farmers’ income is affected, their living standard would be affected,” he said.

Uggah, who is the Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development, also suggested that farmers diversify their activities.

“Besides oil palm, pepper or rubber, farmers can consider planting cash crops like chilli, pineapple, banana and durian.

“There is also income to be made from livestock rearing and the ‘kelulut’ honey beekeeping,” he said.

He added there were suitable courses organised by his ministry on these alternative activities.

“For instance, in pig rearing we have the artificial insemination course to produce more piglets.

“There are the fertigation and hydroponic courses for vegetables growing to ensure top quality, greater quantity and thus more income,” he said.

Uggah said the state government was now actively encouraging and promoting these modern technologies in the effort to boost food production in the state.

He said the Chief Minister, Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg wanted the state to be a net food exporter by 2030.

Meanwhile, Uggah visited Rh Linggie in Sungai Langit and two other longhouses in Penom during his walkabout in his Bukit Saban state constituency yesterday.

On his walkabouts he informed the longhouse chiefs only at the last minute, he said, to avoid unnecessary big preparation in welcoming him.

“My walkabouts are after all to personally check on the people’s welfare and to gather feedback on what projects they need most in the next two years,” he said.

He congratulated the womenfolk from the three longhouses who had acquired good skill in embroidery, a project initiated by his wife Datin Amar Doreen.

A political secretary to the chief minister Dr Richard Rapu accompanied him on the walkabout.