MIRI, Nov 10 2026: Coffee cultivation has the potential to become a new source of income for the communities in Long Seridan and Ulu Baram through the production of value-added downstream products, planned in accordance with market demand.
Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Labour, Immigration and Project Monitoring) Gerawat Gala said beyond coffee, cash crops such as cassava, sweet potatoes, maize, chillies, and ginger also hold the potential to generate income if cultivated in a structured and planned manner.
However, he said the agricultural approach must shift from merely growing crops to a strategy that accounts for market requirements, production volume, and the potential for product processing.
“Our approach needs to evolve—moving away from simply planting crops and then searching for buyers, toward a more strategic plan: identifying the market first, then planning production, and creating products that meet market demands,” he said at the ‘Agriculture Community Outreach’ (AgriCOP) 2026 programme here on Monday.
He believed Long Seridan and Ulu Baram areas also possess the potential to be developed into an agrifood production hub, encompassing wet-padi cultivation, fruit and vegetable farming, and livestock activities.
He also encouraged the youth to venture into the agricultural sector by leveraging modern technology and digital marketing, thereby enhancing competitiveness and creating business opportunities based on local produce.
He expressed his hope that the Sarawak Department of Agriculture and relevant agencies would continue to provide guidance and monitoring, ensuring that the knowledge gained by participants can be effectively applied to their agricultural endeavours.
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