MoU with Singapore Lays Milestone for Ag Industry
MALAYSIA - Sarawak laid the groundwork for the future export of pigs and pork products to Singapore and other regional markets with the recent signing of a MoU (memorandum of understanding).
9 September 2008
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The agreement was inked between Green Nature Richness Sdn Bhd, the anchor farm of Sarawak’s Pig Farming Area (PFA) in Simunjan near here, and Singapore Food Industries Ltd, a food logistics and catering supplier in Singapore.
Green Nature managing director Dr Ng Siew Thiam and Singapore Food Industries business and regional development director Philip Lim signed the MoU in front of Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan.
Under the MoU, both parties agreed to engage Agrifood Technologies Pte Ltd Singapore as an external consultant to carry out a study on enhancing Green Nature’s readiness for the export market and its marketing initiatives as well as measures to construct an abattoir and meat plant of export standard.
The Star reports that both parties will also look into the formation of a joint venture company to market frozen pork, chilled pork, live pigs and processed products to Singapore and other regional markets.
In addition, they will look into the setting up of a joint venture company for a meat processing factory to enhance the export of processed pork products.
Lim described the signing of the MoU as a milestone for the agricultural industry in the region.
He said Singapore Food Industries would work together as a team with Green Nature to come up with a workable and sustainable formula to make the agreement a success.
“We are committed to bring this to fruition. They concentrate on the farming, we concentrate on the marketing and commercial aspects,” he added.
Meanwhile, Dr Chan welcomed Singapore Food Industries’ involvement in the PFA, saying that its expertise would help get the project off to a good start.
“The PFA is something we must start right because we are going to start another two in Sibu and Miri,” he said.
He said the state had identified 500ha near Selangau in Sibu and was identifying a suitable site in Miri for similar pig farming projects.
The PFA is currently being developed and pig farmers are expected to move in next year.
As the anchor farm, Green Nature will operate a breeding farm and production farms to produce about 300,000 porkers a year. It will also operate a meat processing factory in the PFA.
