Cabbage Festival a roaring success

Wasry Tarisin

KUNDASANG: Pomp and pageantry was the order of the day at the two days Cabbage Festival held in Kundasang recently.

The small township perched on a slope brooded over by Mount Kinabalu was busy, packed with vehicles sporting plate numbers from all over the country. The township was surrounded by stalls selling various items including fashion wear, shoes, food and trinkets among others.

And of course there were heaps of vegetables such as cabbages, tomatoes, pumpkins and chili among many others.

Thousands of people milled around, looking at the various display and exhibitions in the town square as well as around it. The intermittent rain and gusts of cold wind were not deterrents. In fact, visitors and participants in the festival seemed to enjoy the cold atmosphere.

Event Organising Chairman, Wasry Tarisin said the main thrusts of the event which was to highlight farm produce and tourism products in Kundasang were achieved through the participation of the farming community in that area. The number of visitors, estimated to be about three thousand, coming and going, made it a tremendous success.

“The various types of vegetables available in the highland evoked tremendous interest among the visitors,” he said.

According to him, as in all festivals the event hoped to promote the area as the main producer of highland vegetables ensuring that potential buyers had an idea of where to acquire their supply.

“We want to make sure that farmers are given the opportunity to advertise and showcase their products through the festival,” he stressed.

On the popular notions that the Highland vegetables in Kundasang were tainted with pesticide, herbicides and chemical fertilisers, he said that the farmers there were periodically accorded instructions through talks given by the relevant authorities.

“I believe that we are slowly but surely getting into better and more environment friendly mode of farming,” he stated, adding that the Cabbage Festival's exhibitions and display hoped to empathise on the improvement.

Meanwhile, event secretary Azridin Sulimat shared that the Agriculture Innovation competition evoked tremendous participation, which augured well for the farming community in the highland.

According to him, several food production and farming innovations have been forwarded for the competition but they were parred down and shortlisted to include the most relevant and useful implements.

The final five participants included a hill paddy planting instrument, composting of vegetable waste, food condiment paste, Extracting Yacon sugar and chili sauce.

“Their working papers have been collected and they will be presented to an innovation competition at the National level in West Malaysia,” he said.

He shared that the Cabbage Festival this year round which was officiated by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Datuk Yahya Hussin was not only to gather farmers and celebrate, fostering friendship and rapport among themselves.

The Minister, with the State Assemblyman for Kundasang Datuk Joachim Gunsalam
(fourth left) and other officials with the recipients of the special recognition award.

“This festival also hoped to look at and scrutinize innovations that can contribute to the farming community's development economically and technologically.”

Four individuals were later given recognition for being Kundasang's pride. They were best farmer, Jadi Kinte, Best Young Entreprenuer Julaineh Waimin, Best Woman Farmer Yasimeh Ratiman and special recognition for Khamarul Azman Kowasin the World Champion of Performing Arts.-AG