GOVT TARGETS TO PRODUCE 507,000 TONNES OF FISH IN 2010

KUANTAN (Malaysia), Dec 19 (Bernama) -- The Agriculture and Agro-based
Industry Ministry is set to increase the national fish production from the
current 270,000 tonnes to 507,000 tonnes by 2010.

Minister Mustapa Mohamed said Thursday that to achieve this, the
government would have to increase the nation's annual aquaculture production by
at least 25 per cent for the next two years to stabilise the depleting marine
fish resources.

"Malaysia depends too much on the marine sources with 86 per cent compared
with 14 per cent from the aquaculture industry, while other countries take up to
60 per cent from their aquaculture industry and only 40 per cent of marine
fish."

He said this after launching the business prospectus and Seminar on
High-Impact Projects in Aquaculture Industrial Zone in this east coast
city.

On another development, Mustapa said he and Plantation Industries and
Commodities Minister Peter Chin Fah Kui were mulling over a proposal for
fertilisers to be made a controlled item.

He said the price of fertilisers would also be reduced by 15 per cent next
month as agreed by the fertiliser producers recently.
--BERNAMA