SEREMBAN, Nov 25 (Bernama) – The Negeri Sembilan Agropolis Development has shown encouraging progress with the development of 1,431 hectares (ha) of land and a total allocation of RM16.5 million from 2021 until this September.
State senior executive councillor Datuk Jalaluddin Alias (BN-Pertang) said during that period, the project contributed 212,617 tonnes of food crop yields, including fruits, vegetables, potential industrial crops, and rice, worth RM815.94 million.
“A total of 1,590 beneficiaries from the second core development in the Negeri Sembilan Structure Plan have witnessed this project making a significant contribution to the state's economy," he said at the Negeri Sembilan State Assembly sitting today.
He said this in response to an oral question by assemblyman Datuk Mohd Razi Mohd Ali (BN-Sungai Lui) who wanted to know about the achievement of agriculture development in the agropolis area in the state.
Jalaluddin said the development of this agroplis, involving areas such as Jempol, Tampin, Rembau, and Kuala Pilah, also contributes to the development of rural communities by connecting economic infrastructure in a more organised manner.
He said in Budget 2025, the state government also allocated RM8.63 million to implement eight food security initiatives, including the crop and livestock subsectors, as well as strengthening the agropolis development through the preparation of the 13th Malaysia Plan (MP13) document for the period 2026 to 2030.
In other developments, Jalaluddin, who is also State Rural Development, Plantation and Commodity Action Committee chairman, explained that the cultivation of sea coconuts in the country is considered less suitable commercially or as an alternative food source.
When answering a question from P. Gunasekaran (PH-Seremban Jaya) regarding the proposal to plant the high-commerical value crop in this state, Jalaluddin explained that the agronomy and country’s climate are not suitable for this implementation because the soil, climate, and humidity are difficult to replicate with the original soil of the crop that comes from the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean.
--BERNAMA