EAST COAST STATE TERENGGANU TO OPEN VINYARD FOR TOURISTS

KUALA TERENGGANU (Malaysia), Sept 22 (Bernama)-- Tourism in Terengganu will
get a boost with the state government's plan to open a vineyard in Tasik Kenyir
at year end.

Chief Minister Ahmad Said said the 10ha vineyard would grow the Thai
variety of grapes in view that it was more suited to the climate here compared
with species from the United Kingdom or the United States.

The cost and yield had yet to be known, he told reporters after a Hari Raya
gathering with about 3,000 local-borns currently woring outside the state at
Taman Temadun Islam here Tuesday.

He said the vineyard was not for commercial purposes but was to draw
tourists to Tasik Kenyir where they could buy a kilogramme of two of the grapes
for consumption while visiting the vineyard.

Expressing confidence that the vineyard would be a success in view that Thai
technology in the field was well-known, he said the vineyard was expected to
start yielding in two years.

The development of the vineyard would be carried out by the private sector
and the Terengganu Tengah Development Authority (Ketengah) might be appointed to
run it, he added.

-- BERNAMA