Big plans to raise agriculture output
A RM430mil Agrobank loan is set to empower agro-food entrepreneurs to boost agricultural production in Johor.

State agriculture, agro-based industry, and rural committee chairman Datuk Zahari Sarip said this aligned with the state government’s goal to optimise land resources through technology and collaboration with the private sector.

“We recently introduced the Johor Pineapple Project (JPP), which aims to increase pineapple production to 334,000 metric tonnes using the agro-technology mechanism.

“The state is also focusing on developing the dairy industry through the Jemaluang Dairy Valley project, which is expected to be ready by early next year.

“We are also aiming to increase our fisheries production by 62% by 2027,” he said.

“All these projects will benefit the local agro-food ecosystem.”

On the land optimisation, Zahari said there was 11,690ha of empty land to be used for planting chillies and ginger.

“The Federal Government has also allocated RM4.8mil to complete the facilities at the Kluang Modern Agriculture Project.

“The state has also allocated 0.4ha of land to plant chillies and ginger at the project,” he said.

Apart from that, RM1mil was allocated to promote the usage of technology in farming in Johor, he added.

Johor had also allocated RM1.2mil for aquaculture development and fishery resource conservation, RM700,000 for a fisheries community programme to improve the socio-economic status of 140 fishermen and RM2.1mil for shrimp-breeding pond construction in southern Johor Baru, he said.

Meanwhile, Zahari said the state government had allocated RM15,000 to help 12 padi farmers in Kampung Air Papan, Mersing.

“Compared to other padi farms, Kampung Air Papan has only one harvesting season every year. Other places, such as Sawah Kesang Tasek in Tangkak, harvest twice a year.

“The heavy rain in early January destroyed the padi seeds that the farmers had planted.

“The state has allocated RM15,000 for replanting,” he said.

The farmers also depend entirely on rain as the farms do not have any irrigation system.

“The flood destroyed around 8ha of the farms from the total 75ha,” Zahari said, adding that there were 63 padi farmers in Kampung Air Papan.
Paddy Farmers,Johor Pineapple Project,Agriculture,Zahari Sarip
A RM430mil Agrobank loan is set to empower agro-food entrepreneurs to boost agricultural production in Johor.