May 23, 2006

Malaysia considers feed corn cultivation in Indonesia
 

Malaysia is studying the feasibility of planting corn in Gorontalo, Indonesia for feed use in the Malaysian poultry industry, said Malaysia's Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on May 22.

The Goronalo Province in Sulawesi, Indonesia is offering poultry companies in Malaysia a 10,000-hectare site for the corn plantation, with the Gorontalo governor Fadil Muhammad himself making the offer at the recent Asia Pacific Food and Agriculture Organisation Conference, Muhyiddin added.

Malaysia is currently importing more than 3 million tonnes of feed yearly. While Malaysia's soil is suitable for cultivating corn for human consumption, it is not for cultivating corn for feed, the minister explained.

If carried out, the livestock feed will be processed in Goronalo before being shipped to Malaysia.

Malaysia also has in mind a second collaboration with Indonesia--this time, it's on the breeding of Bali cattle.

Currently, Indonesia has banned the export of its Bali cattle while Malaysia imports more expensive cattle from Australia and New Zealand. However, Muhyiddin said that Malaysia is keen to collaborate on the breeding of Bali cattle with Malaysian or the Indonesian entrepreneurs.

Discussions with Indonesian agriculture minister Anton Apriantono on this collaboration have taken place, Muhyiddin added.