MALAYSIAN GOVT TO INCREASE BEEF PRODUCTION BY 40 PER CENT BY 2015

GEMAS (Malaysia), Oct 23 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian government hopes to
increase beef production by 40 per cent by 2015, says Agriculture and Agro-based
Industry Minister Noh Omar.

He said currently, local beef production was only 27 per cent while the rest
had to be imported.

"We import beef mostly from India and about 10 per cent annually from the
United States, New Zealand and Australia," he told reporters after visiting the
National Feedlot Centre here Thursday.

It cost nearly RM1 billion (US$295 million) a year to import beef, he said.

Noh said the shortage of beef supply in the country was mainly because
cattle farming was run on a part-time basis, he said.


"Our cattle are reared by farmers to supplement their income, so we have to
convince them to rear cattle on a commercial basis as a profession," he said.

Noh said with the supervision of the feedlot centre under NFCorp, the
810-hectare centre to be in operation next year would help achieve the 40 per
cent target.

"The company aims to rear 60,000 cattle a year and if the land is not big
enough, it will offer villagers to rear cattle on a contract basis," he
said.

This method would be more effective for villagers in Gemas because the
company would provide proper fencing, wholesome food and veterinary service, and
would later buy back the cattle, he said.

-- BERNAMA