PASIR MAS, Aug 23 (NSTP) - Many plantation companies, especially those inoil palm cultivation, are still reluctant to go into cattle rearing toboost the country’s food production, Agriculture Minister Datuk EffendiNorwawi said.

He said this was despite the success shown by several plantations underFelda and Risda.

There are about four million hectares of land under oil palm cultivationwhich could accommodate about one million cattle.

"Malaysia now imports 70 per cent of its cattle. If all the plantations gointo cattle rearing, we can reduce this by 30 per cent." Effendi wasspeaking after giving away cattle to poor farmers at Kampung Bukit PakJunuh here today.

He said the plantations were wary of the idea because of several factors,including viablity, fear of damage to oil palm and administrationproblems.

The ministry would give attention to alternative planting programmes tohelp farmers, especially padi planters.

He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad had instructed theministry to boost the programmes to improve the farmers' income "Some ofthe farmers work in the field only a few days in a month.

"Therefore, they have a lot of time to plant fruits and vegetables, rearpoultry and others." Effendi added the various agencies under the ministrywere ready to help as long as the farmers were willing to work hard toimprove their income stream.