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P'pang now major producer of agri products
04
March 2008 (Source: Daily Express)
PENAMPANG: The district has become a
major producer of many agricultural products
because of strategic development programmes
introduced by the Barisan Nasional (BN)
government.
BN Upko Moyog candidate, Donald Peter Mojuntin,
said the district is now a key producer of
lowland vegetables, shiitake mushrooms,
freshwater fish, paddy, pineapples and other
seasonal fruits, among others.
"The Government, through various schemes and
incentives, has channelled help to reach out to
the people in its bid to improve their
livelihood through agriculture," he said,
referring to the various institutions that
provide loans, subsidies or technical help to
farmers both at state and federal level.
He pointed out that the shiitake mushroom
cultivation programme run by Koperasi
Pembangunan Desa (KPD) in Togudon, here, for
instance, is one good example of its success.
Togudon was once identified as an impoverished
area and the Government, through the Agriculture
and Food Industry Ministry's Rural Development
Corporation and Rural Development Ministry,
re-introduced the cultivation of shiitake about
five years ago.
Under the programme, the corporation subsidises
the farmers, who are first trained on how to
cultivate the mushrooms, with the start-up
capital as well as provides a guaranteed market
all year long.
Sabah produces about 60 tonnes of shiitake
mushrooms annually in two locations, Penampang
and Kundasang because of its weather condition,
and Togudon produces slightly more than half the
total.
It is harvested every day by the farmers with
help from officers from KPD and sold both
locally as well as exported regionally to
Peninsular Malaysia, Brunei and Sarawak.
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