BELURAN: Farmers in Paitan and Pitas could boost their income by growing Sri Kanji 1 cassava, a variety that produces an average of 10 kg per plant and can be processed into animal feed.
Sabah Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar said the crop had strong commercial potential, supported by favourable market prices and a company’s commitment to purchase farmers’ entire harvest.
He said the Sabah Agriculture Department had been urged to work with the company to promote the variety among local communities.
“The company will purchase all the produce grown by villagers,” he said after visiting Tri Corpora Sdn Bhd’s cassava farm in Kampung Tangkarason, Paitan, on Saturday.
Jamawi said the company currently cultivates Sri Kanji 1 cassava across 31 acres, using mechanised farming methods.
The variety is suitable for processing into animal feed, which currently sells for RM1.20 per kilogramme.
He said each hectare could accommodate about 10,000 plants, with each plant producing an average of 10kg of cassava.
Tri Corpora plans to expand its cultivation area by another 300 acres next year to increase production.
The company is also building a cassava processing plant to produce animal feed, which is expected to be completed by February 2027.
Jamawi said promoting Sri Kanji 1 through cooperation between the department and the company could create new opportunities for local communities to venture into commercial farming and supply the growing animal feed industry.
The visit was also attended by Sabah Agriculture Department director Jackson Jaimi, deputy director Suraya Jubahar, and officers from the Agriculture Research Centre Tuaran and Agriculture Research Centre Tenom research divisions. – James Leong
Jamawi (centre), views some of the machinery at the casava farm.
