LOCAL agro-based entrepreneurs in the State are urged to continue producing their local products.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said it was even more important that these products be marketed not only within Sabah but also to the peninsula.
Advertisement
“Under my Ministry, we have agencies that are ready to provide the necessary guidance to ensure that the products produced can be marketed effectively.
“Through these agencies, including the Farmers’ Organisation Authority (LPP) and the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama), there are ways for us to market these local products,” he said at a press conference after launching the sambal soqot product – a condiment made from Sabah’s red durian – produced by local entrepreneur Datuk Md Efendi at The Elopura Hotel.
Red durian is commonly cultivated in the Tongod and Kinabatangan areas and nearby districts. It is also one of the traditional foods of the local community and is now widely known for its unique taste.
In the local language, red durian is also known as marang, alau, soqot and by several other local names. Commenting on the product, Mohamad Sabu said he was confident it would receive a positive response and become an additional food choice for residents in Sandakan and across the country.
“Hopefully it will become an additional food item for the people of Sabah and Malaysians in general,” he said.
He cited keropok lekor, which was once found only in peninsula Malaysia but has now expanded nationwide and can be found or produced anywhere, including in Sabah.
Meanwhile, Efendi said the idea of producing the sambal was also aimed at highlighting a local chilli paste based on red durian, which is very popular among the Sungai community, similar to other traditional foods in Sabah.
