KOTA SAMARAHAN: A RM15-million expansion of the State Farmers’ Organisation Sarawak (PPNS) complex here is set to strengthen Sarawak’s agricultural supply chain by bringing together farm inputs, cold storage, and marketing facilities under one integrated hub.
The extension project, expected to commence in September, will house cold storage for fish and vegetables, alongside agricultural input facilities such as fertilisers.
It will complement the existing RM20-million PPNS headquarters and Peladang e-Shop, with the overall development, including a Celebration Square, expected to be completed by 2028.
Deputy Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development (Food Industry), Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail, said the integrated facility would complete the agricultural value chain by supporting farmers from production to market.
“The existing building houses the Peladang e-Shop, while the extension will cater for agricultural inputs.
“Together, they will support the entire process – from farm inputs and production to processing and marketing,” he told reporters after a walkabout at the PPNS Agriculture Expo 2026 at the PPNS Building here today.
He said the state government has entrusted PPNS to serve as the principal marketing agency for agricultural products across Sarawak, mirroring the role played by the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) at the national level.
“Our target is not only the domestic market but also export markets. We are already seeing overseas demand for products such as tilapia, while many other agricultural products produced by our farmers also have export potential,” he said.
Dr Abdul Rahman said strengthening PPNS’ marketing role forms part of Sarawak’s strategy to achieve its aspiration of becoming a net food exporter by 2030 under the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030).
He added that the Peladang e-Shop serves as a marketing platform for products from farmers across Sarawak, particularly those under the state’s 28 area farmers’ organisations (PPKs).
He also welcomed the growing participation in the second edition of the PPNS Agriculture Expo, which features agricultural entrepreneurs, machinery suppliers and educational institutions, including CENTEXS and Sarawak Skills.
The expo would become an annual event alongside the Sarawak Agrofest, which has been designated to be held permanently in Bintulu, with this year’s edition scheduled for September following the Malaysian Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Exhibition (MAHA) in Serdang, Selangor.
