News From : DagangHalal.com (11 Oct 2009)
Production To Cross 2-Billion-Dollar Mark In Ten Years’ Time
Bandar Seri Begawan – In Its new milestone initiatives,’ the government is putting together strategic implementation programmes with the aim to increase agricultural production to $612 million by 2013 (four years from now), and $2.7 billion in ten years time (2023) an ambitious strategy where the gross domestic agricultural production stood only at $225.44 million in 2008.
Stimulating the growth of large-scale and export-orientated agribusiness, such as in the food processing industry, is at the helm of the new government agenda in the next 20 years that would enable the country to achieve such ambitions.
The strategy hopes to make local products capable of competing in the domestic market as well as in the global marketplace.
Development of agribusiness, an industrial activity that includes activities ranging from farming to manufacturing and supply of agricultural equipments as well as in large-scale export oriented food processing business, has become a new emphasis in the government’s medium-term agricultural strategy.
These strategies, underlined in the newly released “Strategic Plan – Medium Term Implementation Program (2008 – 2013)” book; will be devised alongside or in addition to the nation’s effort in strengthening its primary commodity production such as the rice production towards `self-sufficiency’.
Consultancy works for the development of food processing centres and incubators for local SMEs are amongst the future development mentioned in the new strategy.
According to the Department of Agriculture – low farming profits, coupled with high production costs is making farming unattractive to the younger generation. Furthermore, the fact that local farmers are suffering chronically from import competition and lack ‘comparative surplus’ is not making the situation any better. Brunei, according to the strategic plan, does not have an advantage in producing primary commodities.
Due to this reason, the department of agriculture is moving up its focus to achieve greener pastures for the next 20 years, it was learnt. That is devising a strategy to expand agribusiness and stimulate food processing activities. The emphasis to stimulate the growth of the food processing industry will also complement the efforts to maximise the potential of the niche market “The Brunei Halal Brand”, it was understood.
In its newly released book, the centerpiece of the strategy is to sharpen the ‘comparative advantage’ and ‘competitiveness’ of locally produced products. This strategy would also lead to the creation of jobs for the people.