20/02/2012 (Borneo Post) - Tan Sri Benard Dompok has urged players in the plantation industries and commodity sectors to focus on developing their respective sectors.

The Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister said the sectors should strengthen their research and development activities and promote innovations to add value to meet current demands.

“Every commodity sector should also have a specific focus to enhance its development, for example the oil palm sector should focus on promoting activities in the entire supply chain including food and non-food products,” he said when launching the National Commodity Industry Policy 2011-2020 here Friday night.

The policy outlines seven core areas that provide a framework and long-term strategy to raise the competitiveness of the country’s oil palm, rubber, timber, cocoa, pepper, tobacco, kenaf and sago industries.

The areas are enhancing the commodity industry’s role in the country’s economic development, accelerating the sector’s modernisation, diversification into high value-added products, generating new income sources, raising competitiveness and expanding markets, promoting the development of smallholders and entrepreneurs, and developing human capital.

Dompok said implemetation of the national policy is expected to raise the value of commodity-based exports to RM242.6 billion by 2020 with annual growth rate of 7.9 per cent.

“Last year, the value of commodity-based exports was RM141.2 billion, a 23.7 per cent increase over the RM114.2 billion the previous year.

“The oil palm sector contributed RM83.4 billion or 59.1 per cent of commodity export revenue last year, followed by rubber at RM32.4 billion (22.9 per cent), timber (RM19.8 billion or 14.1 per cent), cocoa (RM4.2 billion or 2.9 per cent), tobacco (RM1.1 billion or 0.8 per cent) and pepper (RM284 million or 0.2 per cent),” he said.

Focus wil also be on raising the export ratio of upstream timber products to 60 per cent by 2020 from 40 per cent in 2010, he said, adding for cocoa, pepper, sago and kenaf, the emphasis will be on raising productivity and developing new products.

For tobacco, the stress will be on raising productivity and competitiveness, besides shifting from uncompetitive tobacco growing to alternative economic activities, he said.

Dompok said a steering committee will be formed for each commodity to plan and monitor strategy implementation besides reviewing action plans to suit the changing world economy.

To raise the sustainability image of commodity production, his ministry will  encourage the sectors to join certification schemes such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil and Good Agricutural Practice.

“The media fratenity can also be an important partner in the national development agenda by promoting various measures and efforts undertaken by government including the ministry,” he added. — Bernama