Tenom: Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar said an agricultural processing centre focused on avocado production is set to be established in Tenom as the government moves to boost market returns for local farmers.
Jamawi, who visited the proposed processing facility site here, Saturday, said Tenom was selected because the interior district is among Sabah’s largest avocado-producing areas and because village growers have long complained of receiving lower prices compared to the premium QAV1 variety.
“The largest avocado cultivation in Sabah is in the interior, especially in Tenom. That is why we are placing this facility here. There have been grievances from village avocado growers who sell their produce at considerably lower prices compared to the QAV1 variety,” he said.
The centre will also serve as an outlet for produce that does not meet fresh market standards.
“There are crops that may not be sellable or whose quality is not suitable for the open market. So, this area will be activated as a processing site, especially for avocado,” he said.
He encouraged Tenom farmers to continue expanding their avocado plantings, noting that the facility’s processing capacity is expected to grow over time.
“We need sufficient volume of produce to meet the requirements of this facility,” he said, adding that his Ministry is also encouraging farmers to graft their trees to the QAV1 variety to improve quality and commercial value.
He said they will additionally collaborate with durian and tropical fruit grower associations to strengthen the marketing of local agricultural products.
In the same visit, Jamawi said his Ministry will construct Tenom’s first inland fishing jetty, recognising fishing activity along Sungai Padas and Sungai Pegalan as a legitimate livelihood for the district’s riverine fishing community.
“For the first time, we will be building a land-based jetty in the Tenom area, taking into account fishing activities on the Padas and Pegalan rivers. If we call them inland fishermen, they too deserve the same opportunities and facilities as those who fish at sea,” he said.
Previously, inland fishermen had been selling their catch by the roadside from their own vehicles, a practice Jamawi said raises both safety and fish quality concerns.
The new jetty facility will include amenities for the public to purchase freshwater fish and the site is also being considered as an angling destination.
He said the government also intends to protect Tenom’s freshwater fish population, pointing out that the area remains free from the viral diseases affecting pelian fish elsewhere.
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