BUKIT MERTAJAM – Penang has identified several potential areas to cultivate corn that will be used as chicken feed in Seberang Prai Utara and Seberang Prai Selatan.
State Agriculture Department director Muhaimin Ibrahim said his department expects corn planting to begin this year, after further discussions with the parties involved.
“This corn crop needs a large area and suitable land because we want quality results.
“For example, we have identified an area of 32.4ha in Seberang Prai Utara for this corn crop. But we still need to see the demographics of that area,” he said when met at the state Agriculture Department open house today.
Yesterday, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said that the Penang government is willing to consider applications from any party wanting to carry out small-scale cultivation of corn for chicken feed on Temporary Occupation Licence (TOL) land in the state.
He said the state government encouraged farmers to venture into small-scale corn cultivation because applications for TOL land are currently mostly for the cultivation of fruits.
Earlier, the cabinet had requested the cooperation of state governments, government agencies, and government-linked companies to provide TOL land for long-term corn cultivation.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob was reported to have said the request was based on the cabinet’s views that corn should be cultivated to become alternative chicken feed.
In a separate matter, Muhaimin said, Penang recorded a decrease in durian yield of between 20% to 30% this year, due to various factors.
He said his department initially expected the durian yield to increase this season, but things took a different turn due to weather factors.
“While it was budding, the rainy season hit Penang and as a result many durian trees could not produce fruit.
“Besides, we also received information that the increase in the price of imported fertilisers, which is up to 80%, also contributed to the high production cost of durian this year,” he said.
Therefore, Muhaimin said, the state Agriculture Department is now encouraging durian growers to use cheaper organic fertilisers.
“Starting this year, we encourage them to use organic fertiliser to reduce the cost of production so that consumers can also enjoy Penang durians at a more affordable price.” – The Vibes, May 25, 2022
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