​The Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) is aware of the challenges of maintaining economic stability and achieving sustainable growth for key sectors such as agriculture, fisheries and forestry as well as tourism.

Collective efforts from all parties in the country are required to address current challenges, said Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin during a muzakarah session between the MPRT and Legislative Council (LegCo) members yesterday.

LegCo member Yang Berhormat Amran bin Haji Maidin led the 17-member LegCo delegation during the dialogue at Setia Pahlawan Hall of the MPRT building.

Permanent Secretary at the MPRT Hajah Tutiaty binti Haji Abdul Wahab shared the ministry’s main goals, which are to support growth and increase production in the food sector. Several programmes and projects have been implemented to increase the output of quality food products that are halal and safe for primary industries, such as poultry, plantation, fishing and aquaculture as well as increase output from the processing industry’s activities in agriculture and fisheries.

The achievements in 2023 were the focus on the roadmap of the food industry by strengthening the value chain ecosystem of the food sector industry that contributed significantly to the national gross domestic product while increasing the total growth and export value of the country.

The ministry has also ventured into the export market for chicken eggs, muskmelons, products from fisheries, including frozen prawns and fish, processed meat and other processed products to Sabah, Sarawak, Malaysia and Singapore.

The ministry is now targeting the export of processed beef and chicken products as well as fresh chicken to Singapore and Malaysia, and the export of frozen fish and prawns to China.

The ministry, through the Forestry Department, will also ensure that efforts are made in the development and conservation of forest resources, in line with the sustainable development principles.

Under the Green Protocol under Brunei Darussalam National Climate Change Policy, the tree-planting initiative has achieved 26 per cent of the target to plant 500,000 saplings by 2035. Meanwhile, tourist arrivals have increased by around 300 per cent in 2023, compared to the previous year.

Several initiatives are being implemented by the Tourism Development Department, including the development of niche tourism products based on culture and nature, strengthening tourism infrastructure and services, initiatives to support expedition market programmes and promoting Brunei tourism outside of the country. Deputy Permanent Secretary at the MPRT I Haji Mohd Yusree bin Haji Junaidi, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the MPRT II Hajah Dahliana binti Haji Aliakbar as well as heads of departments and senior officials from the ministry also attended yesterday’s dialogue.​

(News Source & pic: Borneo Bulletin)