Kota Kinabalu: Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin (pic) said Sabah’s heavy import dependence is becoming a concern as ongoing global conflicts drive up shipping costs.
“About 80 per cent of the State’s rice consumption is sourced from abroad, predominantly from Vietnam,” he said on the sidelines after officiating the Jualan Agro Madani Mega Kota Kinabalu at the Lintasan Deasoka, here.
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He said this placed Sabah among the highest rice-importing states in the country.
“Most of the rice we eat is actually imported white rice from Vietnam. Now we are affected by the conflict situation. Even though Vietnam is not in the area where the conflict corridor passes through, transportation costs will rise.
“This means we cannot always rely on having sufficient imports,” he said.
He said Sabah had all the natural prerequisites for agricultural expansion, fertile soil, adequate year-round rainfall and one of the richest biodiversity profiles in Malaysia.
Chan said Sabah’s capacity in tropical fruits like durian, jackfruit, tarap, langsat, rambai and premium avocados is already beginning to command prices in export markets, including Singapore, Hong Kong and parts of the Middle East.
Chan also urged farmers and agropreneurs to move beyond selling raw produce and look at value-added processing.
Using dried shrimp paste as an example, he pointed out that processed or dried variants could extend shelf life and generate higher returns than fresh produce alone.
“If you can only sell vegetables or fresh shrimp paste, how do you handle it past the expiry date? We strongly encourage farmers to add value to their products,” he said.
He said the responsibility for improving food security in Sabah rested not on any one level of government alone.
“It is the shared responsibility of the Federal Government, the State Government, the private sector, entrepreneurs, farmers, fishermen, livestock farmers, youths and the whole of Sabah’s community, regardless of religion, race or background,” he said.
He added that what was ultimately most critical was the willingness of Sabah’s young people, supported by parents and educators, to seize the opportunities now being created in the agriculture sector with confidence and an entrepreneurial spirit.
