KUCHING: Small scale Bumiputera businessmen should form partnerships with non-Bumiputeras in order to become medium scale food producers capable of feeding the world, said Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud yesterday.

He said last year the world saw an increase in population by 75 million and these mainly came from Asia.

“This means we have an additional of 75 million mouths to feed and being located in the middle of Asia, we have the opportunity to run businesses that will feed these people,” he said when opening the three-day (July 25 to 27) ‘Entrepreneur Movement Programme’ at the waterfront here.

The Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Ministry held the programme with the support from Sarawak government, Sarawak Economic Development Corporation, Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority and Majlis Amanah Rakyat.

Taib said with the country moving towards being a halal food production hub, Sarawakians should grab the windows of opportunity to meet local and international demands.

Besides, he said with escalating global fuel prices, there had been a major shift in agriculture practices like in the United States of America where food crops were used for biofuel production.

“This causes food shortage in the world and Malaysia is also affected,” he said.

Blessed with abundant land for agriculture, Sarawak could meet food demands and at the same time reduce its food imports.

He said the federal