KUCHING: Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences is keen to collaborate with the state in a large-scale production of hybrid corn.
Its deputy director-cum-senior agronomist from its Institute of Maize Research, Kai Chen, who is also Guang Dong Foshan Yanchen Biological Technology Company Limited board chairman Li Jun Ru, led a delegation for a courtesy call on Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas to pursue the collaboration.
According to Kai Chen, the group had heard of the state’s intention to cultivate corn mainly as animal feed.
He said the state needed sufficient supply as it began to intensify its livestock industry and was is eyeing future self-sufficiency.
Uggah who is also Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Minister, said Sarawak is interested in producing seeds and complete maize production.
“These will be sold to smallholders and once we have the volume we will want to sell,” he said.
Kai Chen said he has been told the state imported about 500 million tonnes or RM400 million worth of corn annually for its livestock industry.
“Our institute is producing hybrid corn in huge volumes and of very high quality, too. High quality corn will mean better quality meat,” he said.
He added that the Shandong Agricultural Science was of the finest agricultural academies in the whole of China in terms of research and production of agricultural products. “Under our proposed collaboration, we can bring in Chinese technology to the state, particularly in the corn production. “Under peak conditions, we can produce 13 tons per hectare. This collaboration, of course, will be on government-to-government basis,” he added.
