Uggah leads BDDA delegates to Thailand to learn advanced agricultural expertise

KUCHING (Sept 4): The Betong Division Development Agency (BDDA) will be studying Thailand’s advanced agricultural development and expertise, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.

The minister in charge of the agency said Thailand is well-known for its highly developed farming industry, beginning from the planting materials to production, processing and marketing network.

“We notice that Thailand obviously has a very sophisticated whole supply chain. They are incredibly well organised and this is something we want to emulate,” Uggah said in a statement following a working visit to Thailand’s Ratchaburi Province today.

The province is famed for its aromatic coconut species, mango, guava, pineapple and other tropical fruits, as well as the Thai Coconut Company that manufactures quality coconut milk, coconut water, desiccated coconut, pet food products and plant- based substitute products.

Uggah was leading a delegate from the BDDA on a week-long study and benchmarking tour to Thailand.

“So, this trip is a very good exposure and learning experience to the BDDA team.

“It gives them food for thought in their efforts to help Betong farmers develop and commercialise their undertakings, and eventually to market their products outside the state and beyond,” he said.

Uggah reiterated that BDDA’s mission is to improve the people’s livelihood by increasing their income.

“But we need to have proper planning, guidance and management of the whole supply chain so that they can come up not only with the quantity but quality as well. We have the land and we have the people who are not strangers to hard work,” he said.

Uggah’s delegation had also visited Thailand’s Betagro Food Innovation Centre yesterday (Sept 3), where its core businesses are developing food products within its supply chain from the farm to the slaughterhouse, processing, packaging and marketing.