Key Projects
| Cluster |
Agriculture > Crops |
| Project |
Vegetables & Fruits Valley |
| Location |
Bachok-Setiu-Kuala Berang
Kuantan-Maran
Pekan-Rompin-Mersing |
Description
The Bachok-Besut-Setiu-Kuala Berang
Agro Valley is an area of 5,000 ha covering the districts
of Bachok and Pasir Puteh in Kelantan and the districts
of Besut, Setiu and Ulu Terengganu in Terengganu. The zone
was identified because of its vast area currently used
for short-term crop (mainly watermelon, fruiting and root
vegetables, and sweet corn) cultivation and also because
of the high incidence of poverty in the area. The project
will cover alienated land belonging to smallholders and
existing Permanent Food Production Parks (TKPM). The project
will also involve marginal paddy areas in Kemasin Semerak
and tobacco areas for crop diversification.
The Kuantan-Maran Agro Valley covers an area of 1,000 ha
in the district of Kuantan and Maran in Pahang. These are
existing and potential vegetable areas that will benefit from the development of the KL-Kuantan Central Corridor.
The Pekan-Rompin-Mersing Agro Valley encompasses an area
of 4,000 ha covering the districts of Pekan and Rompin in
Pahang, and the district of Mersing in Johor. At present,
the majority of these areas are planted with vegetables
and short-term crops like sweet corn and watermelon. The
project will involve smallholders’ land and existing
TKPM.
The agro valley will have a number of supporting services
including the establishment of Collecting, Processing and
Packaging Centres (CPPC) in Besut, Kuantan and Rompin. The
CPPC is a one-stop centre for collecting, grading, processing
and packaging of products for both the local and export
market. The CPPCs will be the nerve centre for the development
of the zones. The Bachok-Besut-Setiu zone will also be linked
to the national food terminal (TEMAN) that will be established
in Kota Bharu in the 9MP.
Project Rationale
The rationale for the projects include:
-
Facilitation
of organised group farming projects that will increase
the efficiency and productivity of farming;
-
Facilitation
of economies of scale in the development of short-term
fruit and vegetable farming through the provision of services
and infrastructure;
-
Enabling participation
of anchor companies in contract farming;
-
Facilitation
of processing and marketing of produce through CPPCs;
and
-
Supporting the
National Food Terminal in Kota Bharu which has been planned
under the 9MP.