Sabah is ramping up efforts to develop commercial grain corn farming as part of a long-term strategy to reduce its heavy dependence on imported animal feed, which currently costs the state an estimated RM800 million every year.
State Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Jamawi Jaafar said Sabah’s current self-sufficiency level (SSL) for grain corn production remains critically low at only around two per cent.
“This means Sabah is only producing a very small portion of feed needed for poultry and livestock, while the majority still has to be imported,” he said during a visit to a grain corn cultivation project in Kampung Mosolog on Tuesday.
The project, operated by EMAT Sdn Bhd in collaboration with Koperasi Tanjung Kelamat, is now entering its second planting season using a fully mechanised farming system.
According to Jamawi, the first planting season yielded about five tonnes per hectare, but the crop has the potential to reach between eight and nine tonnes per hectare with proper agricultural management and modern farming practices.
“With market prices currently around RM1,400 per tonne and production costs estimated at RM800 per tonne through mechanisation, grain corn farming offers attractive profit margins for commercial players,” he explained.
To further encourage industry participation, the ministry has allocated RM5 million this year as incentives for entrepreneurs interested in venturing into grain corn cultivation.
Jamawi added that technical guidance and advisory support would also be provided through the Agriculture Department to ensure the success and sustainability of such projects.
At the same time, the ministry has requested Korporasi Pembangunan Desa (KPD) to revive its commercial grain corn initiative in Terusan Sapi, which was first introduced in 2024.
“We still have about RM2 million in remaining allocations and plan to develop up to 300 hectares of suitable land for corn farming there,” he said.
Jamawi expressed confidence that collaboration between KPD and EMAT could pave the way for large-scale grain corn production in Sabah, especially following the encouraging results from the 50-hectare pilot project in Kota Marudu.
He noted that modern machinery and technology tested over two planting seasons had proven suitable for Sabah’s agricultural conditions while helping to boost productivity and lower operating costs for farmers.
“This method not only improves efficiency but also empowers local farmers to participate in modern agriculture,” he said.
Jamawi pointed out that Kota Marudu has long been gazetted as a strategic agricultural zone for corn and other high-potential crops such as coffee.
He also revealed that a formal cooperation agreement between KPD and EMAT is expected to be signed by June this year.
Meanwhile, Jamawi said KPD — which currently produces up to 200,000 broiler chickens monthly — could significantly lower feed expenses if it begins producing its own corn supply.
“Last year alone, KPD recorded sales worth RM106 million. Producing its own feed ingredients could further strengthen profits,” he said.
Apart from grain corn, the Sabah government is also intensifying efforts to improve the state’s rice self-sufficiency level through the expansion of agricultural development projects in Terusan Sapi, which currently spans around 800 hectares.
Jamawi said the federal government had channelled RM50 million through the Economy Ministry to develop irrigation infrastructure capable of supporting an additional 1,000 hectares of padi cultivation.
He added that Sabah also has thousands of hectares of idle padi land with redevelopment potential, including around 3,000 hectares each in Kota Marudu and Kota Belud.
Earlier, Jamawi visited Kampung Taiwan to inspect padi cultivation projects managed by two local companies before continuing to a rice processing factory in Kampung Damai.
The visit also covered several large-scale agricultural projects, including 50-hectare and 100-hectare corn farms jointly managed with villagers as well as padi projects operated by Sawit Kinabalu.
Jamawi stressed that close cooperation between the government, private sector and local farmers would be key to unlocking Sabah’s full agricultural potential.
“Our goal is to strengthen Sabah’s food security, improve self-sufficiency levels and create better economic opportunities for farmers in the future,” he said.
