ECERDC, Johor plan dairy farm, homestay projects in Mersing

PETALING JAYA: The East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) and the Johor state government will implement two new projects in Mersing, Johor, as part of its strategy to accelerate the socio-economic transformation and uplift the livelihood of the people in the district.
In a statement yesterday, the development council said the two projects include a “Dairy Valley” in Jemaluang and the Mersing Homestay Tourism Development in Kampung Air Papan.
The council said the dairy farm’s development in Jemaluang is timely and in line with the government’s aspiration to reduce dependency on imported dairy products and to support Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak’s call in encouraging people to drink fresh milk towards a healthy lifestyle.
Driven by private investments, ECERDC said the project is expected to produce four million litres of fresh milk by 2021 and create 60 new job opportunities, as well as entrepreneurial opportunities for satellite farmers, replicating the success of the Muadzam Shah Cattle Research and Innovation Centre in Pahang.
Between 2007 and 2017, RM1.61 billion worth of private investments have been attracted into the district resulting in the creation of 1,710 job opportunities for the locals, it said.
On the tourism front, ECERDC said it also plans to develop a national standard homestay programme in Mersing which will be integrated with the “Rainforest to Reef” concept.
As part of this, ECERDC said the homestay operators in Kampung Air Papan will be provided with training related to the hospitality industry particularly on good management, local ownership and a variety of related activities.
Physical developments in Kampung Air Papan will also be developed in line with the “Kampung-stay” concept using the approach of a community-based tourism, it added.
“The two projects are part of Mersing’s socio-economic transformation that will continue to benefit the rakyat through greater job and entrepreneurial opportunities,” ECERDC CEO Datuk Seri Jebasingam Issace John said.
“The Jemaluang Dairy Valley project is expected to increase the income level of the rakyat especially local farmers in the rural area while families from the fishing communities in Kampung Air Papan can earn additional income as part of a spillover benefit from the growing tourism sector in Mersing,” he added.