Sabah must move up value chain, produce high-value finished products: Hajiji

KOTA KINABALU - Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has emphasized that Sabah must transition towards producing and exporting high-value finished goods to optimize returns from its agro-food industry. He stressed that bolstering downstream activities is crucial to maximizing value throughout the supply chain, elevating the income of agro-entrepreneurs, and bolstering food security.

Hajiji highlighted the imperative to shift towards downstream products with considerable added value, which would directly enhance the well-being and living standards of farmers, growers, smallholders, and fishermen by augmenting the economic value of their agricultural produce. Speaking at the Lumi Borneo Latex Pillow launch, Hajiji's message was conveyed by Sabah Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar.

He also pointed out that developing downstream activities would generate employment opportunities, especially for local youths, as these activities necessitate manpower in production, packaging, logistics, marketing, quality control, and other related fields. This would also offer prospects for local entrepreneurs to engage. Additionally, Hajiji affirmed that the Sabah government would persist in backing all sectors, such as the state's rubber industry, to facilitate their growth and ensure lucrative returns for rubber smallholders.