Sarawak Liberica regarded as best global rep for state’s coffee industry, says DoA

KUCHING (Nov 30): The Sarawak government is strengthening its coffee industry through the development of Sarawak Liberica beans – a specialty product deemed as the best to represent the state’s unique identity.

Building on this initiative, the Department of Agriculture (DoA) is refining its implementation strategy through three key directives, so as to ensure sustainability and focus.

“Firstly, coffee cultivation must be carried out by farmers in clusters or groups to maximise resource efficiency and improve management. Secondly, farmers will receive training to become specialists in coffee cultivation to ensure the production of premium-quality beans,”

“Thirdly, agricultural assistance will be provided only to existing coffee growers for rehabilitation purposes,” said DoA Sarawak director Dominic Chunggat in his speech for the Borneo Coffee Symposium 2025 at the Kuching Old Court House.

The two-day event, which concluded yesterday, was organised by Earthlings Coffee with support from the Ministry of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development, Business Events Sarawak and other partners.

Adding on, Dominic said three aforementioned key directives would be supported by the continued provision of high-quality seedlings, essential fertilisers, modern processing machinery, and comprehensive agronomic training programmes.

“With improvements in farming techniques, processing systems, and value chain transparency, we are positioning Sarawak coffee to compete confidently on the world stage.

“This effort is not merely about increasing output, but about elevating quality and creating value at every level: for the smallholder farmers in the rural areas; for the micro-processors and roasters in our towns; and for the consumers seeking the authenticity of Sarawak,” he said.

Moreover, he stressed that the development of the state’s coffee industry would very much depend on strong public-private partnerships.

“I must acknowledge the pivotal role of the DoA Sarawak, in collaboration with Earthlings Coffee, in organising targeted professional training, enhancing post-harvest knowledge, raising awareness of specialty coffee standards, and contributing to significantly improved outcomes among various indigenous communities.

According to him, Sarawak coffee industry now stands at the intersection of tradition and innovation, with local flavours increasingly aligning with global expectations.