Malaysia has imported nearly 30 percent of the national ricerequirements, Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture andAgro-based Industry Hashim Abdulla announced on November 26.
The country, however, is heading for zero rice imports by implementingseveral measures to ensure self-sufficiency, he added.
Currently, local price production can only meet 72 percent of thepopulation’s need, as such, the government is extending rice cultivationarea in Pahang, Sabah and Sarawak states as part of its efforts toreduce imports from neighbouring countries.
Inaddition, the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Instituteis constantly conducting research on new paddy seedlings to encouragefarmers to grow the rice and find new ways for cultivation without usingmuch water.
Malaysia is one of the countries depending largely on rice imports in the world.
The country expects to import 1.1 million tonnes of rice this year, a year-on-year rise of 5 percent.
Vietnam is among the leading rice suppliers for Malaysia.
According to the Vietnam General Customs Department, the countryexported nearly 764,700 tonnes of rice to Malaysia in 2012, earning over403 million USD.
In the first 10 months of thisyear, Vietnam exported over 401,000 tonnes of rice worth 201.2 millionUSD to the Southeast Asian country.-VNA
The country, however, is heading for zero rice imports by implementingseveral measures to ensure self-sufficiency, he added.
Currently, local price production can only meet 72 percent of thepopulation’s need, as such, the government is extending rice cultivationarea in Pahang, Sabah and Sarawak states as part of its efforts toreduce imports from neighbouring countries.
Inaddition, the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Instituteis constantly conducting research on new paddy seedlings to encouragefarmers to grow the rice and find new ways for cultivation without usingmuch water.
Malaysia is one of the countries depending largely on rice imports in the world.
The country expects to import 1.1 million tonnes of rice this year, a year-on-year rise of 5 percent.
Vietnam is among the leading rice suppliers for Malaysia.
According to the Vietnam General Customs Department, the countryexported nearly 764,700 tonnes of rice to Malaysia in 2012, earning over403 million USD.
In the first 10 months of thisyear, Vietnam exported over 401,000 tonnes of rice worth 201.2 millionUSD to the Southeast Asian country.-VNA
