SARIKEI: Sarawak is prioritising four strategic crops under a broader push to strengthen its agricultural economy, support rural communities and expand agri-based exports by 2030.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development (M-FICORD), Datuk Sirai Daha, said the crops — coconut, durian, pineapple and banana — were selected based on their strong market demand, industrial potential, and suitability for Sarawak’s climate and soil conditions.
He said coconut plantations were expected to expand from about 9,000 hectares to 20,000 hectares, not only to support food security but also to strengthen downstream industries such as coconut milk, oil and other value-added products.
“Similarly, durian, pineapple and banana are each targeted to reach 20,000 hectares of cultivation areas. This will create a more structured and competitive environment for smallholders to participate and grow,” he said during a dinner organised by the Sarikei Dayak Development Association (GPDS) on Friday.
He noted that the state government was also strengthening the supply chain to support farmers, pointing to the existing pineapple processing plant in Sibu and the construction of a new processing facility in Miri.
He added that strong market demand offered further opportunities, citing Peninsular Malaysia’s weekly demand of about 20 tonnes for the Pisang Nipah variety as a potential source of stable income for rural farmers.
However, Sirai stressed that agricultural success required coordinated planning, calling for a cluster development approach to enable more effective delivery of infrastructure, technical support and marketing.
He said the initiatives were in line with Sarawak’s ambition to position itself as a producer and exporter of clean, high quality food, while strengthening food security and rural prosperity.
