KOTA MARUDU, May 28 — Sabah has significant potential to develop grain corn cultivation on a commercial scale as part of efforts to reduce the state’s dependence on imported animal feed, which currently costs an estimated RM800 million annually.

State Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Datuk Jamawi Jaafar said Sabah’s current self-sufficiency level (SSL) for grain corn production remained low at only about two per cent.

“This means Sabah only produces around two per cent of the feed requirements for poultry and other livestock, while the rest still depends on imports,” he said during a visit to the grain corn cultivation project at Kampung Mosolog here on Tuesday.

The project, undertaken by EMAT Sdn Bhd in collaboration with Koperasi Tanjung Kelamat, is now entering its second planting season using a fully mechanised system.

Jamawi said the first season recorded yields of about five tonnes per hectare, although the crop has the potential to achieve between eight and nine tonnes per hectare with good agricultural practices.

“With the market price at around RM1,400 per tonne and production costs estimated at RM800 per tonne through mechanisation, this crop offers a good profit margin for commercial cultivation,” he said.

To encourage more participation in the sector, Jamawi said the ministry had allocated RM5 million this year as incentives for entrepreneurs interested in venturing into grain corn farming.

He added that technical expertise and advisory services would also be provided through the Agriculture Department to ensure projects are implemented effectively.

At the same time, he said the ministry had requested the Korporasi Pembangunan Desa (KPD) to resume its commercial grain corn project in Terusan Sapi, which was initiated in 2024.

“We still have about RM2 million in remaining allocations and plan to develop up to 300 hectares of suitable land for corn cultivation there,” he said.

Jamawi expressed confidence that collaboration between KPD and EMAT could pave the way for large-scale grain corn development, building on the success of the 50-hectare pilot project in Kota Marudu.

According to him, the use of modern technology and machinery tested over two planting seasons in the area had proven suitable for Sabah’s conditions.

“This approach not only increases productivity, but also helps reduce costs and empowers local farmers,” he said.

He noted that Kota Marudu had long been gazetted as a key production area for corn as well as other crops such as coffee.

Jamawi also revealed that a cooperation agreement between KPD and EMAT was expected to be finalised soon, with the signing targeted for June this year.

Meanwhile, he said KPD, which currently produces up to 200,000 broiler chickens monthly, could significantly reduce feed costs by cultivating its own corn supply.

“Last year alone, KPD recorded sales of RM106 million, and this effort could further increase its profits,” he said.

Apart from corn, Jamawi said efforts to improve Sabah’s rice SSL were also being intensified, including the development of agricultural areas in Terusan Sapi, which currently covers about 800 hectares.

He added that the federal government had allocated RM50 million through the Economy Ministry to develop irrigation systems in the area, capable of supporting an additional 1,000 hectares of padi cultivation.

Jamawi said there were also around 3,000 hectares of idle padi fields in Kota Marudu and another 3,000 hectares in Kota Belud with potential for redevelopment.

Earlier, Jamawi visited Kampung Taiwan where padi cultivation is being managed by two local companies before proceeding to a rice processing factory in Kampung Damai.

The visit also included several other agricultural projects, including 50-hectare and 100-hectare corn farms jointly operated with villagers as well as padi projects undertaken by Sawit Kinabalu.

Jamawi stressed that close cooperation between the state government, private sector and farmers was crucial to maximise Sabah’s agricultural potential.

“Our goal is to improve the State’s self-sufficiency level, assist farmers and ensure a more secure food supply in the future,” he said.

Also present were the ministry’s permanent secretary Jumain Abdul Ghani; Sabah Paddy and Rice Board chairman Ramle Kasin and deputy chairman Musbah Jamli; as well as EMAT managing director Louis Philip Potgieter. — The Borneo Post