News From : DagangHalal.com (02 Jul 2010)
KUCHING, July 2 (Bernama) — Entrepreneurs in Sarawak, especially from the small and medium scale industries, can refer to the Business Advisory Centre under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to get the latest market information, said Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.
He said there was high potential for the development of food products including crackers made from bananas, sweet potatoes and tapioca but the local entrepreneurs have not been able to meet the market demand as they do not have the market information or strong networking.
“Every month, there are orders for crackers amounting to five containers for sale to London, but we are able to export only one container and this means that we are not able to fulfill more than one quarter of the market demand,” he said when officiating the Sarawak and Sabah level Satu Daerah Satu Industri (SDSI) 2010 (One Region One Industry) Showcase here Friday.
Since its set up in March, this year, to June, more than 500 business advisory services have been given to entrepreneurs, particularly Bumiputera entrepreneurs by the centre.
Earlier, Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Jacob Sagan said there was a need for a well planned integrated approach to ensure sustainable entrepreneurial development in Sarawak taking into view its geography and limited logistics.
He said MITI will implement several outreach programmes for the development of Sarawak’s halal industry end of this year and under the 10th Malaysia Plan. Focus will be given to the advantages and export opportunities arising from bilateral and regional free trade agreements, he said.
Meanwhile, Assistant Minister at the Chief Minister’s Department (Development of Bumiputera Entrepreneurs) Mohd Naroden Majais said a total of 2,435 Bumiputera entrepreneurs and non Bumiputera entrepreneurs have received various kinds of assistance in the form of business funds worth RM116 million from agencies providing business funds from January to April this year.
Meanwhile, at the SDSI, various locally made products including products from 16 entrepreneurs from Sabah and 40 types of food products from Sarawak and Sabah are being exhibited and promoted at the SDSI 2010.
The SDSI programme is aimed at establishing one industry in each region by using existing raw material resources including work force and skills of the respective local communities.
— BERNAMA