Farmers, Breeders and Fishermen Day sales doubled

The state-level Farmers, Breeders and Fishermen Day celebration this year recorded a sale of around RM2 million, doubled than that of last year.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Yahya Hussin said the targeted number of visitors was 50,000 and the five-day event could have achieved 100,000 visitors if it were not for the rains.

Yahya, who is also the Agriculture and Food Industry Minister, said in this in an interview after officiating at the closing ceremony of the celebration yesterday.

He suggested his ministry submit a proposal to the State Government for a bigger site, not only for the celebration, but also serves as a market for farmers, livestock breeders and fishermen.

Yahya said the celebration was becoming bigger year after year, with the operators and farmers being more developed.

Hence, a specialized place such as the one used by Farmers, Breeders and Fishermen’s Day, Malaysian Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Exhibition (Maha) in Serdang, Selangor was needed.

He said the site could also be used for daily, weekly, monthly activities or annual events.

“For daily activities, the site can be used by businesses, where farmers can sell vegetables and fruits; fishermen bring their seafood in packaged form, raw or cooked; and livestock breeders bring their products, milk or cheese.”

Yahya added that the site could also be a hot spot for businesses, public and also tourists, as seen in other countries.

On the location, he said ideally it should be in Kota Kinabalu because it was central.

Earlier in his speech, Yahya said the government realized that more efforts needed to be done to transform agriculture-based sectors that were still traditional, small scale, lack of competitiveness, and locally marketed to one that were modern, commercial scale, competitive and globally marketed.

“We have to think and implement and change, especially in technology and delivery system to ensure an increase in income.”

He said the celebration this year had exhibited and promoted new technology, research and development results from departments and agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Malaysia and private sector.

“The new technologies can help the farmers, livestock breeders and fishermen in overcoming the obstacles as operators.

“The government will always be with the farmers, livestock breeders and fishermen who are proactive, visionary and have the mindset to be ‘first to be first’,” he said.

Also present at the closing ceremony were Assistant Agriculture and Food Industry Ministers Datuk Bobby Suan and Datuk Hj Musbah Hj Jamli, permanent secretary to the ministry cum organizing chairman, Datuk Hj Ujang Hj Sulaini and Sabah fishermen Association (Pengasah) chairman Jaini Ating.

The closing ceremony also saw the presentation of awards to the stalls with the best innovative design. They were Padi Beras Nasional from the private sector and Agriculture Department from the government sector.

Source: Borneo Post