KPKM committed to developing corn grain industry
ARAU: The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) remains committed to implementing a comprehensive corn grain industry development programme nationwide as part of efforts to reduce import dependency and stabilise the price of livestock feed in the country.
Its Secretary-General, Datuk Seri Isham Ishak, said one of the locations that has demonstrated notable success in corn grain cultivation is the Chuping Valley Industrial Area (CVIA) near Padang Besar, which is being developed by Green World Genetics Sdn Bhd (GWG) and FGV Chuping Agro Valley.
'This is a proven success story, and we plan to apply the same standard operating procedures (SOPS) to other selected areas.
'Corn grain is crucial as it serves as a key component in livestock feed, particularly for poultry and ruminants such as cattle,' he told Bernama after visiting farms and focus projects in Perlis here today.
Meanwhile, he said the ministry was also looking at harnessing the potential of youth in driving the agricultural industry, particularly in grain corn cultivation, through structured training programmes and strategic collaborations with private sector partners.
'GWG, for example, trains many young people and we found that their marketability is very high. The training provided is not just planting, but includes farm management, logistics and marketing. This is important to make agriculture a competitive career,' he said.
Isham also encouraged more school leavers to consider agriculture as a viable and promising profession, career, pointing out the existing support infrastructure provided by the government and industry stakeholders.
'The support system is already in place; what's needed is the willingness of young people to explore this sector.
'Many of our farmers today have achieved remarkable success, proving that agriculture is a stable and sustainable career path,' he said.
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