Sabah will be more self-sufficient in rice production following a boost in funding of RM5.8bil for the agricultural sector in Budget 2013.
Sabah has been lagging in rice sufficiency, and it was importing up to 70% of the state's rice needs despite several attempts to improve the situation, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Yahya Hussin.
“Some states in the peninsula produce about 80% for their domestic consumption. We have a long way to go,” he said yesterday.
Yahya, who is State Agriculture and Food Industries Minister, said the move to make Kota Belud one of Malaysia's major padi cultivation centres would create new jobs and economic opportunities for the district.
There was also an allocation of RM140mil in Budget 2013 for four new rice granaries and the expansion of existing ones in Kota Belud, Batang Lupar, Rompin and Pekan.
Meanwhile, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri said prices of essential goods in Sabah and Sarawak would be on par with those in the peninsula following the Government's move to provide RM386mil to subsidise transportation costs.
“It will mean a better purchasing power for the people of both states,” he said.
Source: The Star
the government’s plan to turn Kota Belud into a rice producing district is a good one as it will open more job opportunities for the locals besides helping to uplift the economy.
ReplyDeleteYahya said the new budget, Sabahans would enjoy groceries at the same retail prices as their counterparts in Peninsular Malaysia because the government will subsidise freight chargers of goods transported to Sabah from the Peninsular.
ReplyDeleteKota Belud sedang dirancang sebagai pengeluar padi di Negeri sabah ini.
ReplyDeleteJika ini diusahakan sebaiknya mungkin masalah import beras dari luar dapat dikurangkan.
ReplyDeleteSabah bakal jadi pengeluar beras utama.
ReplyDelete