MIRI: Coffee cultivation could provide a new source of income for communities in Long Seridan and Hulu Baram through the production of value-added downstream products tailored to market demand.
Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Labour, Immigration and Project Monitoring) Datuk Gerawat Gala said agricultural activities should move beyond simply producing crops towards a more strategic approach that considers market needs, production volumes and processing potential.
He said farmers should identify potential markets first before planning their production and developing products that meet consumer demand.
“Our approach needs to change from simply planting crops and then looking for buyers to more strategic planning, which involves identifying markets first, planning production and producing goods according to market requirements,” he said at the opening of the Agriculture Community Outreach (AgriCOP) 2026 programme here recently.
Gerawat said other cash crops, including tapioca, sweet potatoes, corn, chillies and ginger, also had the potential to generate income if cultivated through proper planning.
He added that Long Seridan and Hulu Baram had the potential to be developed into agro-food production areas, covering paddy cultivation, fruit and vegetable farming, as well as livestock activities.
He also encouraged youths to venture into agriculture by embracing modern technology and digital marketing to enhance their competitiveness and create business opportunities based on local produce.
In this regard, he hoped the Sarawak Agriculture Department and relevant agencies would continue providing guidance and monitoring to ensure participants could apply the knowledge gained to their agricultural activities sustainably.
