KUCHING: Farmers can now sell surplus fresh local fruits during the fruiting season to the Department of Agriculture Sarawak.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said the department’s Agro-Based Industry Section is buying these fresh fruits, to be processed into snacks for export.

He explained that because there was no such programme previously, surplus fruits had to be left to waste.

“We have a lot of grouses from farmers who could not derive any income with any bountiful harvest (during fruiting season).

“Thus with this programme, we are there to help them,” he told reporters on the sideline of the ongoing State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting, here yesterday.

Uggah, who is also Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development, added the Agro-Based Industry Sector would also help interested farmers to do the processing themselves.

“It will provide the courses, training, basic machine and some start up funding…however, whatever we produce must meet the relevant food standard requirement of the export markets.

“This is very important and we must not compromise on this requirement. In addition, we must have proper and high-quality packaging, which is also another very important factor,” he said.

The deputy chief minister said he was confident that upon meeting these requirements, Sarawak could compete with or even outdo other exporting countries in the region such as Vietnam, Indonesia or Thailand.

On a related matter, Uggah also hoped more from the private sector would join this promising venture, adding interested parties could discuss the matter with his ministry.

“You can apply for the Agriculture Venture Capital Fund to start with,” he explained, adding that fruit processing for export was the right step in ensuring farmers would earn income from fruits produced.

“This also fits in very well with the state’s plan to be a net exporter of food and food products by 2030.”

Earlier, Uggah was shown a number of processed local food including dehydrated ‘terong asam’ (sour eggplant), dehydrated Golden Guava, natural crispy ginger stick, crispy bitter gourd, sago pellet snack, and ‘tebaloi’ (sago biscuit).

Among those present with him were Kedup assemblyman Martin Ben, Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development permanent secretary Datu Ik Pahon Joyik, Department of Agriculture Sarawak director Dr Alvin Chai, Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak Dr Adrian Susin, and political secretary to the chief minister Dr Richard Rapu.