ID :
47822
Thu, 02/26/2009 - 21:48
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/47822
The shortlink copeid
MALAYSIA AIMS TO INCREASE RICE PRODUCTION BY 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 (Bernama) -- Malaysia aims to increase rice production from the present 73 per cent to 86 per cent of the country's needs by 2010, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Thursday.
Towards this end, the government had allocated an additional budget of RM5.6
billion to boost agricultural production until 2010, the prime minister said.
"To ensure the availability of food and to mitigate the impact of volatile
commodity prices, Malaysia has initiated measures to increase domestic food
supply, especially rice which is our staple food, through stockpiling in the
short term and expansion of planting area in the longer term.
These included sustainable utilisation of land for food production, greater
private and public sector investments in agricultural infrastructure and
projects using high quality seeds, as well as the efficient use of agricultural
inputs, he said in his opening remarks at the opening of the D8 Ministers'
Meeting on Food Security here.
His speech was delivered by his deputy, Najib Tun Razak.
However, these efforts had been less effective with the increase in the
prices of import, especially those of fertilisers and animal feed, Abdullah
said.
"Although prices have been somewhat moderated, the D8 countries need to find
a common solution to increasing input prices, especially for fertilisers and
animal feed," he said.
Abdullah said Malaysia had initiated bilateral cooperation with several
countries in the field of agriculture to ensure an increase in food production
and productivity.
He said Malaysia had signed memorandums of understanding (MOU) with Iran
which included fisheries, livestock, agriculture and Research and Development,
and during this meeting, both Malaysia and Indonesia would be signing a
bilateral MOU to foster greater cooperation in agriculture and food production.
"These bilateral arrangements can help to foster greater cooperation in
research and development and promote joint investments in food and agriculture,"
he added.
Towards this end, the government had allocated an additional budget of RM5.6
billion to boost agricultural production until 2010, the prime minister said.
"To ensure the availability of food and to mitigate the impact of volatile
commodity prices, Malaysia has initiated measures to increase domestic food
supply, especially rice which is our staple food, through stockpiling in the
short term and expansion of planting area in the longer term.
These included sustainable utilisation of land for food production, greater
private and public sector investments in agricultural infrastructure and
projects using high quality seeds, as well as the efficient use of agricultural
inputs, he said in his opening remarks at the opening of the D8 Ministers'
Meeting on Food Security here.
His speech was delivered by his deputy, Najib Tun Razak.
However, these efforts had been less effective with the increase in the
prices of import, especially those of fertilisers and animal feed, Abdullah
said.
"Although prices have been somewhat moderated, the D8 countries need to find
a common solution to increasing input prices, especially for fertilisers and
animal feed," he said.
Abdullah said Malaysia had initiated bilateral cooperation with several
countries in the field of agriculture to ensure an increase in food production
and productivity.
He said Malaysia had signed memorandums of understanding (MOU) with Iran
which included fisheries, livestock, agriculture and Research and Development,
and during this meeting, both Malaysia and Indonesia would be signing a
bilateral MOU to foster greater cooperation in agriculture and food production.
"These bilateral arrangements can help to foster greater cooperation in
research and development and promote joint investments in food and agriculture,"
he added.
