Under the 11th Malaysia Plan (RMK-11), an allocation of RM40.9 million has been provided to develop the national pepper development and extension centre at Semenggok, Kuching.
“With the development of the national pepper centre, it can help the Malaysian Pepper Board (MPB) in reinforcing its research and development (R&D) activity on the pepper,” said Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Malaysia, YB Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong.
Speaking during the MPB 10th Anniversary celebration and Pepper Festival 2017 at Kuching, YB Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong also said that the government will continue to provide assistance to help small pepper farmers ease their burden caused by the increasing production cost.
As the fifth main pepper exporter worldwide, Malaysia has now 29, 614 pepper farmers to date where 98 per cent of them are Sarawak pepper farmers.
In 2017, the size of pepper plantation in Malaysia has reach 17, 100 hectares and the total pepper production is about 31, 000 metric tonnes as compared to an area of 16, 768 hectares with a total production of 29,245 metric tonnes in 2016.
In the first seven months of 2017, the national pepper export was 5,851 metric tonnes, valued at RM180.4 million.
According to YB Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong, Japan was the main export destination for the period of the seven months (January to July) of 2017 where about 1, 580 tonnes of pepper (or 27 per cent of the export amount) has been exported to Japan.
