Monday July 13, 2009
By CHRISTINA KOH
TANAH RATA: Cameron Highland's 52 farmers produce a staggering RM70mil worth of fresh strawberries a year across 30ha of land.
Deputy Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum said the farmers also produced up to RM18mil of strawberry-related products such as cordials, jams, toppings, ice-cream, teas and chocolates.
Strawberry would be the latest product to be included under the Government's "One District One Industry" programme, he said.
Johari noted that in the past, the strawberries grown were small, but new varieties introduced by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute, as well as a more efficient tier-system growing methods, had increased the fruit size and output.
"I daresay our local strawberries are as good as any of those overseas. We have already saved a lot of money by not needing to import our strawberries.
"As for export, we are limited by the land and climate needed to grow them, but I'm happy with our progress," he told reporters after the SDSI launch of the strawberries here yesterday.
Cameron Highland's strawberries, he pointed out, were sold in local hypermarkets and exported to Singapore.
Johari said the strawberry farmers under the programme received incentives, technical advice and Government support in marketing and promoting their products to both local and overseas markets.
The Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority, he added, was already promoting and establishing markets for products under the programme in foreign countries such as Brunei, the Middle East and Europe.
Meanwhile, Johari said another homegrown product due to be officially introduced soon was the nipa nipah (sweetened nipah juice) from Yan, Kedah.
Among the other products under the programme are tapioca (Sepang), coconuts (Hilir Perak), madu tualang or wild honey (Kuala Nerang, Kedah), sago (Sarawak) and prawns (Sabah).
This article was taken from: The Star Online: Nation 13 July 2009
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