It’s all smiles as Izham (left) gets a taste of a ripe fig fruit which he just plucked from the tree at Jon Grapevines & Fig Garden (JGFG) at Kampung Bantayan in Tamparuli yesterday. Looking on is JGFG Technical Adviser, Jontih Enghihon.
TAMPARULI: Selangor Executive Councillor Ir. Izham Hashim who is Chairman of the Committee for Infrastructure and Public Amenities, Agriculture Modernisation and Agro-based Industry was leading a 17-member delegation from Selangor in visiting JGFG.
The visitors were received by JGFG CEO Puan Nonie Bansunin and manager Jonovan Jontih. They were given a briefing by Jontih.
They were here to gain first-hand knowledge of JGFG ahead of an agreement signing expected soon between JGFG and the Selangor Agriculture Development Corporation (PKPS) which owns the Selangor Fruits Valley (SFV) at Batang Berjuntai, Selangor.
Under the agreement, SFV will provide the land and infrastructure for a grapevine and fig garden while JGFG will provide the expertise and technical know-how.
Phase 1 is targeted at agro-tourism while Phase 2 will be for fruits production which may also benefit local farmers in Selangor.
Under Phase One, 400 grape trees chosen from the 4 best variety of JGFG will be planted. SFV with an area of almost 1,000 hectares is the largest and most successful in the region and has won numerous agro-tourism awards both nation-wide and internationally.
After the tour, Izham told reporters that the Selangor government believed that both grape and fig-growing has vast potential in agro-tourism while at the same time giving local farmers high returns.
He believed that the JGFG’s experience will make the proposed grapevine and fig garden at SFV a success.
“Another reason why we are choosing JGFG as our partner is the fact that they are already established including as a tourism spot with the know-how so we don’t have to waste time and money on making mistakes or trials and errors,” he added.
Among those accompanying Izham were PKPS general manager Hj Thamby Omar Mohammed and his deputy Mohd Fadzil Hitam.
The group from Selangor was the second from outside Sabah in as many months to have visited the farm. Last month, a delegation from the Malaysian Ministry of Agriculture led by their secretary-general paid a similar visit.
Among local dignitaries who had visited JGFG so far was Deputy Chief Minister cum Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Madius Tangau,
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