MALAYSIA AIMS TO INCREASE RICE PRODUCTION BY 2010.

from BERNAMA, The Malaysian National News Agency KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 (Bernama) -- Malaysia aims to increase rice production from the present 73 per cent to 86 per cent of the country's needs by 2010, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today.

Towards this end, the government had allocated an additional budget of RM5.6 billion to boost agricultural production until 2010, the prime minister said.

"To ensure the availability of food and to mitigate the impact of volatile commodity prices, Malaysia has initiated measures to increase domestic food supply, especially rice which is our staple food, through stockpiling in the short term and expansion of planting …