THE low adoption of modern technology has been a contributing factor to the high food import bill of the state which stood at RM4 billion in 2015.
According to Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, the state self Sufficiency Level (SSL) in 2015 for fruits and vegetables, rice and fish were at 64 per cent, 48 per cent and 93 per cent respectively.
He said this in his winding-up speech for the ministry at the state legislative assembly (DUN) sitting yesterday.
He said the government has approved an allocation of RM80 million to implement programmes and projects under the Key Result Area (KRA) on modernising and commercialising the agriculture sector under the Socio Economic Transformation (SET).
“Out of the RM80 million allocation, a sum of RM20 million has been approved for the construction of 51 farm infrastructure projects benefitting 3,900 farm families.
“Another RM8 million is approved for the establishment of four collection, processing and packaging centres (CPPC) namely Tarat IQF plant, Layar Integrated Agriculture Station and in Kapit and Sibu,” he said.
Uggah added that a total of RM37 million has been approved for crop development to assist smallholders establish income generating projects namely oil palm, sago, pepper, fruits, permanent food production zone and agriculture diversification programme benefitting 6,454 farm families.
“A sum of RM15 million has also been approved for livestock development of which RM13 million is for the development of cattle industry and RM2 million for swiftlets projects.
On the proposed formation of Koperasi Nelayan in Maludam and Lingga raised by Simoi Peri (BN-Lingga), Uggah said the Fisheries Development Authority Malaysia (LKIM) Fish Landing Complex in Beladin is expected to be completed by year end, while LKIM is now studying the possibility of building a new landing jetty in Maludam.
He noted that the Tanjung Manis Integrated Fishing Port fish landing had seen an increase from 12,000 metric tonnes in 2015 to 19,000 metric tonnes in 2016, with total revenue collected from January to April this year at RM460,000.