SERIAN: Sarawak must strengthen its agricultural supply chain and develop more downstream processing industries to achieve its goal of becoming a net food exporter by 2030.
Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development (M-FICORD) Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, said while the target might appear ambitious, it was achievable if the state focused on developing a complete agricultural ecosystem and supply chain.
He said the ministry’s priorities were to strengthen food security while increasing the incomes of rural communities, particularly farmers.
“It may sound ambitious, but if we truly focus on building the entire ecosystem and supply chain, we can achieve it.
“Although the World Bank recognised Sarawak as a high-income region in 2022, the reality is that many people living in rural areas still do not feel they have reached that level of comfort or income.
“The difference we want to see is in household income,” he said when officiating the Serian Agrofest 2026 here today.
Dr Rundi said developing downstream processing industries was crucial to ensuring farmers received better and more stable returns, especially for seasonal crops.
He said crops such as rambutan, durian and langsat often flooded the market during harvesting seasons, causing prices to fall due to the lack of sufficient processing facilities to absorb the surplus.
“We do not know what to do with the excess produce. It has to be processed. That is why we need processing industries to stabilise prices so farmers can continue cultivating these crops with confidence,” he said.
Dr Rundi said Agrofest and outreach programmes such as the Agriculture Community Outreach Programme (AgriCOP) formed part of the ministry’s efforts to equip farmers with knowledge and expose them to new agricultural opportunities.
However, he stressed that agricultural development must be tailored to the strengths and needs of each area.
He said the Agriculture Department should first identify farmers’ capabilities, needs and the most suitable crops for specific localities instead of encouraging cultivation without ensuring a complete supply chain.
“There will be no connection to the downstream sector if we simply encourage people to plant without proper planning,” he added.
On the same note, Dr Rundi said Agrofest should not be treated as a one-off event but as a platform to guide farmers towards achieving higher household incomes in line with the state’s development goals.
“By 2030, every household should earn at least RM15,000 a month. That is one of the targets under the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, and we are working towards achieving it, including through the agricultural sector,” he said.
