KUALA LUMPUR: There is no plan to convert the country's oil palm estates into padi fields, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed said yesterday.

Looking from the economic perspective, it was not viable, he added.

"Still, we will look into ways to increase rice production," he said after launching the National Pasar Tani Convention and e-pasartani@Fama programme at the Putra World Trade Centre.

Mustapa said three states - Sabah, Sarawak and Terengganu - had made available land for padi cultivation.

He believed their initiative would boost rice production and estimated the country's padi acreage would grow by at least 100,000ha to 770,000ha.
"Aside from having additional acreage, it is equally important to increase the yield in padi growing areas.

"Our average is only 3.5 tonnes per hectare. Thus, measures have been taken to increase it to 10 tonnes per hectare."

Asked whether Malaysia had enough farmers to work on the additional land, Mustapa said the sector must attract more youths.

"We have many farmers who are 55 and 56 years old. They are old people.

"To encourage more young farmers is possible by making the sector interesting and profitable."