May 29, 2026
 

Sabah targets commercial grain corn expansion to cut RM800 million annual feed import bill

State self-sufficiency in grain corn stands at just 2%, with a mechanised pilot project and new funding allocations aiming to change that.

Sabah's state government is scaling up grain corn cultivation with the goal of reducing its dependence on imported animal feed, which costs an estimated RM800 million (US$181 million) annually, as the state's current self-sufficiency level for grain corn stands at approximately 2%.

Datuk Jamawi Jaafar, Sabah's Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry, said a 50-hectare pilot project in Kota Marudu — undertaken by EMAT Sdn Bhd in collaboration with Koperasi Tanjung Kelamat — has now entered its second planting season using a fully mechanised system. The first season recorded yields of approximately five tonnes per hectare, against a potential of eight to nine tonnes per hectare under good agricultural practices.

Jamawi said the market price for grain corn of around RM1,400 per tonne (US$317), against mechanised production costs of approximately RM800 per tonne (US$181), offered a viable commercial margin. The ministry has allocated RM5 million (US$1.13 million) this year as incentives for entrepreneurs entering the grain corn sector, with technical support to be provided through the Agriculture Department.

The ministry has also requested Korporasi Pembangunan Desa (KPD) to resume its commercial grain corn project in Terusan Sapi, initiated in 2024. Jamawi said a remaining allocation of RM2 million (US$452,000) would be used to develop up to 300 hectares of suitable land there. A cooperation agreement between KPD and EMAT is expected to be signed in June.

KPD, which produces up to 200,000 broiler chickens monthly and recorded sales of RM106 million (US$24 million) last year, stands to reduce feed costs significantly by cultivating its own corn supply, Jamawi said.

- The Borneo Post