IMPORTANT DOCUMENT: Jabu showing the Constitution of the state of Sarawak at the DUN lobby.
THE state’s increasingly popular indigenous fruit, Dabai, has begun to attract huge commercial interest following the increasing number manufacturers engaging in value-added products.
Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu said that many dabai-related products had been developed by the research division of Department of Agriculture in smart partnership with various stakeholders from the private sector. The smart partnership project initiated this year was aimed at evaluating a system to commercialise agriculture research findings on the dabai supply chain.
“Research carried out on the fruit since 2005 has shown that cold storage technology can maintain the fruit quality to at least a year. The fruit has high anti-oxidant which is good for human as reported by the joint study with Universiti Putra Malaysia.
“Through the project three private nurseries have been engaged to commercially produce the recommended clones – ‘Laja’ and ‘Lulong’ – and three growers have been selected to plant the clonal dabai to supply high quality fruit,” added Jabu, who is also Deputy Chief Minister when delivering his winding up speech yesterday.
The Layar assemblyman said that one processor had been engaged to process value-added products such as dabai paste and mayonnaise. There were also two manufacturers of dabai soap products and another involved in making dabai cakes.
In all the cases, he said the research division had provided technical support such as cold storage technology, product recipes and shelf life studies on the products and their nutritional values.
Jabu also said that one wholesaler of dabai products, a hotel, two supermarkets and a retail outlet for dabai soap had been enlisted on the marketing end of the supply chain. The research division also provided support on product storage, packaging, transportation protocol, product value and testing.
“To move the industry forward, we need to increase awareness among consumers and investors on the goodness and commercial potential of dabai.
“To popularise dabai and its products to people outside the state, Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) in collaboration with my ministry and Department of Agriculture are currently having a promotion in conjunction with the Malaysian Agriculture, Horticulture and Agro-tourism International Show (Maha) in Serdang, Selangor.”
Jabu said he was very encouraged by Sarawak Women Entrepreneurs’ dealing with production of the state’s famous ‘kek lapis’ (layered cakes) who were also producing dabai-based kek lapis which he strongly recommended as a good strategy to synergise the promotion of Sarawak kek lapis with dabai fruit.