September 19, 2017
Malaysia looks into local corn planting for animal feed needs
Malaysia should venture into local production of corn-based animal feed - a move that could save billions of ringgit in annual foreign exchange, according to the country's Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.
The Star reported that Malaysia's yearly import of about three million tonnes of corn from Argentina amounts to an expenditure of RM3.2 billion (US$763 million). In addition, the country has already embarked on cultivating local corn - for the purpose of producing animal feed - in farms of about 1,000 hectares in Johor, Kedah and Terengganu, Ahmad Shabery said.
The minister added that Malaysia would require 300,000-400,000 hectares of land for large scale corn plantings like that those of Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. The weakening Malaysian currency is also a reason for such a development as the country has to spend more money to bring in animal feed, resulting in increased prices of chicken.
Ahmad Shabery also remarked that there are several "idle land and state-owned land" to farm corn in huge numbers in the country. These lands include "former paddy fields which could be turned into corn farms."
- The Star
