KOTA KINABALU, May 25 (BERNAMA) -- The state government is welcoming foreign investors wishing to commercialise padi planting in Sabah in order to increase rice production in the state, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Yahya Hussin said.
He said Sabah still had vast amounts of suitable land for large scale rice growing.
"We welcome foreign investors to invest in Sabah to develop commercial padi cultivation projects whether in collaboration with government department and agencies or with individual owners of padi fields," he said.
Yahya, who is also State Minister of Agriculture and Food Industries, said this in a statement issued following a courtesy call from the Shenzhen (China) based Tian YiDa Group at Wisma Pertanian Sabah, near here Monday.
Tian YiDa Group through its subsidiary, Tian YiFei (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd has indicated interest to invest in commercial padi planting through joint venture with the state government. It is also looking at investment opportunities in other potential sectors of the state.
Yahya said the state's rice sufficiency level was at 30 percent currently.
Meanwhile, Daisy Mao who led the group, said the company had vast experience in padi cultivation and used the latest technology through joint efforts with Yuan Long Ping High-Tech Agriculture centre which is a founder and producer of world famous high-yielding hybrid rice varieties.
For a start, she said the group was planning to send experts from China to carry out studies on soil and climate suitability as well as to look at suitable areas for the purpose.
