MUAR, July 29- All agriculture agencies in Johor have been ordered to submit proposals on the best possible way of turning the state into the country’s main food producer.
Johor Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Committee chairman Ismail Mohamed said he would call for a meeting with officers of the agencies concerned tomorrow to determine the direction of the state’s agriculture industry.
“We will determine the level of the state’s production in 10 key areas which has to be achieved in a certain period to ascertain Johor becomes the country’s main food producer,” he told reporters after presenting Hari Raya aid to the poor in Kampung Melepang, Sengkang, in Ledang today.
On farmers in the west coast of Johor who ventured into coconut planting, Ismail said they should heed the call for them not to replace coconut planting with oil palm planting.
He said this was to ensure there would be no shortage of coconut in the state, especially during the festive season, and that coconut planting also provided lucrative income for farmers.
“Now, we have to import coconut to meet the high demand for the coming Hari Raya celebration,” he added.
– BERNAMA
