KUCHING: Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg has asked the Sarawak Tropical Peat Research Institute (Tropi) to conduct a scientific research if napier grass can be grown on soil that is suitable for sago palm cultivation. He said the grass can be an additional source of income for the sago smallholders as it can be converted into biomass for the production of pellets to generate electricity. "I went to a factory in Bintulu recently that produces grass pellets for export to the United Kingdom to generate electricity," he said at a gala dinner held in conjunction with the opening of the 15th International Sago Symposium last night. Abang Johari said the factory produces 2.5 million tonnes of grass a year from its 324-ha farm in Bintulu. The premier said Tropi can do research if napier grass can be grown in between sago palm trees should the soil is found to be suitable. He said the sago smallholders will benefit if they also plant napier grass in between sago palm trees.   "In other word, if you have sago palm trees and in between you can plant napier grass and then you have an additional income to the farmers," he said, adding that it is not just for the pellets, but also as animal feed. The premier also asked Tropi to work with the state Public Works Department (JKR) on the construction of roads on peatland. He added that he had already asked JKR to conduct a study on the feasibility of building elevated roads on pealand, instead of using the conventional methods that have incurred high maintenance cost in the long run. "The study can certain data on the quality of peatland as well as how we manage the peat land when we build elevated roads," he said. Abang Johari said he is prepared to provide funds for TROPI to conduct the study on peatland. On the symposium, Abang Johari said the state government has established the Sago and Nipah Development Board (SNDB) to strengthen the sago industry. He said the aim is to modernise production, promote mechanization and improve the livelihood of smallholder farmers while enhancing Sarawak's green economy. He said sago palm is an important economic asset with applications in various industries, from food production to biodegradable packaging, animal feed, biofertilisers and biofuels. "With the growing demand for natural, gluten-free products, sago is becoming increasingly popular with health-conscious consumers and a preferred choice in global markets," he added. Abang Johari said sago is deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of the Melanau community, particularly in Dalat and Mukah, adding that Sarawak exported 35,000 metric tons of sago starch, valued at RM113 million, to destinations like Peninsular Malaysia and Japan, last year. "Despite this, our export volume has stagnated due to inconsistent supply of raw materials," he said, adding that Sarawak contributes 2.5 per cent or 62,000 hectares out of the global sago plantations. The two-day symposium was attended by 250 international delegates consisting of researchers, scientists, academia, industry players and representatives from the state and federal governments. It was organised by Tropi, in collaboration with the Malaysian Peat Society,Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and the Japan Society of Sago Palm Studies.

Sagu merupakan tanaman komersial tertua di Sarawak yang dihasilkan daripada pokok rumbia. Sagu adalah salah satu komoditi pertanian utama yang menyumbang kepada hasil pendapatan Sarawak. Sebagai pengeluar utama sagu di Malaysia, Sarawak mengeksport di antara 40,000 hingga 50,000 tan kanji sagu setahun dengan nilai sekitar RM80 juta hingga RM90 juta. Sarawak juga merupakan pengeksport terbesar tepung sagu dunia. Pada tahun 2020, sebanyak 37,884 tan kanji sagu bernilai RM78.29 juta dieksport ke Semenanjung Malaysia dengan peratusan jumlah isi padu eksport 51.27 peratus dan Jepun dengan 35.47 peratus. Jepun, Taiwan dan Singapura adalah antara negara yang mengimport tepung sagu dari Sarawak. Sejak sekian lama, industri sagu Sarawak didominasi oleh sektor pekebun kecil yang menyumbang 92 peratus daripada jumlah anggaran kawasan tanaman seluas 32,329 hektar. Kawasan utama perusahaan sagu ialah di Bahagian Mukah, Betong dan Sarikei dengan pekebun kecil sagu masih bergantung pada pendekatan penanaman tradisional. Menyingkap sejarah, ekonomi Sarawak pada awal tahun 1850an berkembang melalui aktiviti perusahaan sagu. Perkembangan pesat industri sagu ketika itu telah mendatangkan hasil yang lumayan kepada peniaga sagu di Sarawak, khususnya di Kuching hingga menimbulkan persaingan mendapatkan bekalan bahan sagu dari Mukah di antara pedagang Melayu, Cina dan peniaga dalam kalangan istana Brunei. Sekitar 1840an, Singapura merupakan pengimport utama sagu Sarawak yang banyak diusahakan di kawasan rumbia oleh kaum Melanau di Oya, Mukah. Dari tahun 1847 hingga 1849, sebanyak 2000 tan sagu dieksport ke Singapura. Permintaan tinggi terhadap kanji sagu untuk kegunaan industri tekstil di Amerika Syarikat dan Eropah pada masa itu juga menyebabkan permintaan terhadap sagu semakin meningkat. Seterusnya, pentadbiran Kerajaan Brooke di Sarawak telah menjadikan sagu sebagai eksport utama Sarawak sehinggalah Limbang juga muncul sebagai pengeluar sagu pada 1891. Malah juga, industri sagu menguasai ekonomi Sarawak sehingga penghujung abad ke-19. Batang rumbia yang sudah ditebang untuk diproses menjadi tepung sagu Pada 2022, Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak telah meluluskan penubuhan Lembaga Kemajuan Sagu dan Nipah (LKSN) sebagai sebuah agensi yang akan memacu perkembangan industri sagu dan nipah di negeri ini. Penubuhan LKSN menunjukkan komitmen Kerajaan Sarawak dalam mengembangkan industri sagu dan nipah serta memperkasa ekonomi masyarakat luar bandar. LKSN berperanan membantu kerajaan dalam perancangannya memastikan kemampanan industri sagu dan nipah pada masa depan selain membawa kepada peningkatan dalam produktiviti, penggunaan teknologi baharu serta menggalakkan pembangunan yang lebih teratur dalam sektor huluan dan hiliran sagu dan nipah. Objektif utama LKSN adalah untuk mempromosi, memudahkan serta membangunkan industri sagu dan nipah sebagai sempadan baharu untuk memaksimumkan pulangan ekonomi serta meningkatkan pendapatan pekebun kecil. Lebih daripada itu, agensi berkenaan juga akan menggubal objektif strategik, dasar dan keutamaan bagi pembangunan dan pentadbiran sagu dan nipah di Sarawak. Sebelum LKSN ditubuhkan, CRAUN Research Sdn Bhd adalah sebuah agensi yang mempelopori penyelidikan produk dan inovasi yang memfokuskan pada sagu dan juga nipah. Tumbuhan nipah yang terdapat di Kampung Tambak, Pusa Perusahaan gula apong di Kampung Tambak, Pusa Susulan penubuhan LKSN, CRAUN Research telah diletakkan di bawah LKSN sebagai entiti komersial yang dimiliki sepenuhnya oleh LKSN. Aktiviti komersial utama CRAUN Research tertumpu pada pelaksanaan projek-projek pembangunan sagu dan nipah termasuklah pengilangan dan pemasaran produk-produk sagu dan nipah. Untuk menyokong penyelidikan dan pembangunan (R&D) berterusan dalam membangunkan teknologi dan aplikasi berkaitan sagu dan biojisim sagu, peruntukan sebanyak RM23 juta disalurkan kepada CRAUN Research pada tahun ini bagi membolehkan agensi berkenaan menjalankan operasi dan projek R&D. Usaha Kerajaan Sarawak meningkatkan penghasilan sagu juga dapat dilihat melalui Program Tanaman Baharu Rumbia secara berkelompok yang dilaksanakan oleh Jabatan Pertanian Sarawak di kawasan seluas 43.6 hektar di Kalaka. Program tersebut yang bernilai RM520,000 telah dimulakan pada 2022 dan berakhir pada 2023 dengan penglibatan 15 orang peserta yang terdiri daripada pekebun-pekebun kecil rumbia. Program dijalankan bertujuan untuk menambah kawasan tanaman rumbia sedia ada bagi meningkatkan penghasilan produk berasaskan sagu. Proses penghasilan sagu secara tradisional di Mukah Tepung sagu yang juga dikenali sebagai lemantak dalam kalangan masyarakat Sarawak Bukan itu sahaja, Sarawak juga sedang membangunkan biogas yang terhasil daripada sisa sagu sebagai usaha pelaburan ke arah teknologi hijau dan sumber tenaga allternatif yang boleh diperbaharui. Selain dapat dirawat bagi menghasilkan air bersih, sisa cecair sagu boleh menjana tenaga dengan mengeluarkan biogas kerana mengandungi gas metana. CRAUN Research telah diberi kepercayaan membangunkan Model Penyaliran Biogas Termurni Daripada Sisa Cecair Sagu Untuk Kegunaan Isi Rumah yang diilhamkan oleh Premier Sarawak, YAB Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr.) Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg. Projek tersebut adalah kesinambungan daripada Projek Loji Rintis Sisa Rawatan Cecair Sagu di Kampung Tabo, Mukah yang dilancarkan oleh Premier pada 23 November 2022. Sisa cecair sagu yang mengandungi gas metana boleh menghasilkan biogas sebagai bahan bakar alternatif Biogas yang dihasilkan oleh loji rintis sagu itu akan ditulenkan dan seterusnya diedarkan sebagai sumber gas memasak alternatif hijau, lestari dan lebih murah berbanding dengan gas petroleum cecair (LPG) komersial. Dari aspek keselamatan, biogas ditulenkan yang mengandungi gas metana melebihi 90 peratus adalah lebih selamat digunakan sebagai gas memasak berbanding dengan gas LPG kerana gas metana lebih ringan daripada udara, seterusnya menyebabkan ia lebih cepat meruap apabila berlaku kebocoran. Sebagai permulaan, penyaliran biogas ditulenkan untuk kegunaan memasak ini akan memberi manfaat kepada penduduk Kampung Teh dan Kampung Tabo di Mukah, Sarawak. Inisiatif tersebut akan memberi nilai tambah kepada produk hiliran sagu, iaitu sama ada untuk kegunaan memasak masyarakat setempat ataupun untuk kegunaan lain. Dari sudut industri, projek tersebut berupaya meningkatkan nilai rantaian sagu dan pada masa yang sama membuka jalan penyelesaian secara bersepadu terhadap masalah pencemaran alam sekitar yang berpunca daripada sisa buangan sagu. Seperti sagu, nipah juga sejenis tanaman malar (perennial) dan hasilnya boleh dituai empat (4) tahun selepas ditanam dan mampu mengeluarkan hasil selama lebih 50 tahun. Nipah mempunyai potensi untuk berkembang dengan kawasan tanaman seluas kira-kira 111,351 hektar di kawasan pesisir dan muara sungai Sarawak. Industri nipah amat signifikan dengan penghasilan produk gula nipah yang dikenali sebagai ‘gula apong’ dalam dialek tempatan Sarawak. Sehubungan dengan penubuhan LKSN, perusahaan gula apong yang lazimnya diusahakan pekebun kecil luar bandar seakan-akan mendapat nafas baharu. Idea pewujudan Taman Agro Nipah di Kampung Tambak, Pusa pada 2019 dengan peruntukan RM2 juta memperlihatkan suntikan elemen transformasi terhadap penghasilan gula apong. Ladang nipah dibangunkan secara tersusun dan teratur dengan sistem rangkaian jalan dan air yang sesuai bagi memodenkan industri dan meningkatkan pengeluaran gula apong.

KUCHING (Feb 16): The Sago and Nipah Development Board Bill, 2022 was passed at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) today, which provides for the establishment of a board to oversee the development of sago and nipah industries. Modernisation of Agriculture and Regional Development Minister Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi in his winding up speech before the Bill was put to a vote, said the establishment of the board is long overdue. He explained this was because the nipah and sago industries have been seeing declines in production and income due to competition from other crops such as oil palm, pepper and rubber. He also said the lack of control and regulations within the industries, and industry players operating in unorganised and fragmented segments have also contributed to the current scenario. “Though long-overdue, it is timely to set up a body to oversee all operations in the nipah and sago industries,” said Dr Rundi. A total 13 assemblymen participated in the debate of the Bill after its second reading. They comprised DUN members from Beting Maro, Balingian, Tanjung Batu, Tanjung Datu, Tellian, Daro, Serembu, Lingga, Jepak, Kota Sentosa, Ba’ Kelalan, Padungan and Bawang Assan. Dr Rundi said he appreciated some concerns made by the DUN members in their speech, and he also took note of the good suggestions made by them. He pointed out as Sarawak endeavours to achieve high income economy by 2030, the socio economic development linked to these industries should be looked into. “We want commercialise way of doing things, be more profitable. Having said that, towards the direction, the role of public sector is very important to be the driving force,” he said, adding the participation of younger generation in these industries will also be encouraged. When tabling the Bill earlier, Dr Rundi said that the Sago and Nipah Development Board (SDNB) will be established with the passing of the Bill, to assist the government in its planning to ensure the future viability and sustainability of the sago and nipah industries. He revealed that the state’s sago industry is presently dominated by smallholders which accounted for 92 per cent of the total estimated planted area of ​​32,329 hectares. Currently, there are eight sago processing factories in operation with an average production of 1 to 1.5 metric tonnes of sago starch per hour. According to Rundi, Sarawak is the world largest exporter of sago flour and the state in the year 2020 exported 37,884 metric tonnes of sago starch valued at RM78.29 million, mainly to Peninsular Malaysia and Japan with 51.27 per cent and 35.47 per cent of the total export volume respectively.

KUCHING (Jan 16): Sago and Nipah Development Board (SDNB) will be established to assist the government in its planning to ensure the future viability and sustainability of the sago and nipah industries in Sarawak, said Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom. “This will lead to the increase in productivity, adoption of new technologies and promote orderly development of upstream and downstream sectors, particularly in executing and promoting of these commodities and its related activities for the smallholders in Sarawak,” said the Modernisation of Agriculture and Regional Development Minister in his second reading of the Sago and Nipah Development Board Bill, 2022 at the State Legislative Assembly today. He also said the SDNB, to be under the purview of his ministry, has the primary objective to promote, facilitate and develop the sago and nipah industries as a new frontier to maximise economic returns and increase smallholders’ income. He added it will also formulate strategic objectives, policies and priorities for the orderly development and administration of both sago and nipah in Sarawak. “When passed, its areas of jurisdiction cover all activities in the upstream and downstream of the sago industry and nipah industry including the planting of sago and nipah palms, the processing and utilisation of sago and nipah, the production of sago starch and nipah sap and the  manufacturing of sago products and nipah products and its derivatives, and any services related thereto. “All these activities will be regulated by the implementation of registration and licensing scheme and enforcement activities,” he said. On the sago industry, he said the cultivation of sago in Sarawak can be traced back to early 1880s and was among the key agriculture trading commodities of Sarawak since then. He revealed that the state’s sago industry is presently dominated by the smallholder sector which accounted for 92 per cent of the total estimated planted area of ​​32,329 hectares.  Currently, there are eight sago processing factories in operation with an average production of 1 to 1.5 metric ton of sago starch per hour. According to Rundi, Sarawak is the world largest exporter of sago flour and the state in the year 2020 exported 37,884 metric tonnes of sago starch valued at RM78.29 million, mainly to Peninsular Malaysia and Japan with 51.27 per cent and 35.47 per cent of the total export volume respectively. “The main sago areas are in Mukah, Betong and Sarikei divisions.  Sago smallholders still rely on traditional approach of cultivation, and this has contributed to the inconsistent of sago logs production as raw materials for the downstream activities for the sago industry in the Sarawak,” he said. With Sarawak already establishing its global market position for sago starch and to remain competitive, he said the government must ensure and sustain its comparative advantage over this market segment and price dominance. “In this context, the state government is promoting and expanding the development of the crop on a commercial basis due to its potential as a food source through the establishment of Sago and Nipah Development Board (SNDB). “The potential of sago industry has not been exploited as an economic and commercial viability mainly due to its long gestation period.  However, based on the study by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), sago has its potentials for food production and food security to meet the demand of growing population in the future,” he said. He added sago is not only a food crop, but also has diversified uses n the production of adhesive materials, while sago cellulosic biomass could be turned into bio-degradable packaging, animal feeds, bio-fertiliser, and biofuels. On nipah industry, he said nipah palm covers an area of ​​about 111,351 hectares in Sarawak, as a natural component of  mangrove forests and covers extensive areas along the coast, estuaries, and riparian zones of rivers. “Like sago, nipah palm is a perennial crop.  Nipah palm can be tapped four years after planting, and keeps yielding for more than 50 years, regenerating from underground stems and rootstock and does not require replanting activities. “Our local farmers have been using nipah palm from the natural nipah forests to produce nipah palm sugar or ‘gula apong’.  ‘Gula apong’ is considered as a healthy organic substitute for synthetic sugar…It is also used as sweetener and ingredient in foods and confectionery products like pastries and local delicacies,” he said. In this regard, he said the government is promoting to increase the production, consumption, and marketing of nipah palm sugar both for local and overseas markets as initiatives to create economic activities for local farmers. At present, there is a Kuching-based company exporting nipah palm sugar products to Hong Kong, South Korea, New Zealand, and Canada. The products include natural sugar, sugar apong spread, granules and syrup. “In 2021, Sarawak exported ‘gula apong’ products valued at RM1.93 million while RM3.38 million was from local sales,” he said. He also revealed recent studies by Centre for international Forestry Research (CIFOR) have shown that nipah palm has a significant potential for the production of biofuel in the form of bio-ethanol. “Nipah palm has the potential to produce twice the amount of ethanol per hectare as compared to sugar cane and four times that of corn. “In this context, one of the roles and functions of SNDB is to explore the potential of nipah palm for ecosystem restoration and climate change mitigation, sustainable rural livelihoods, and renewable energy, and seize this new growth opportunities in this sector,” he said. Dr Rundi also said the SDNB could also help Sarawak to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1 that focuses on food security and SDG14 that leads to conserving and sustainable use of  natural resources for an ultimate sustainable development of the state’s sago and nipah industries.