Sedusun Tech Valley, which is set to be a new agrotourism centre in Relau, on Penang island, is set to receive a RM50 million boost from the Economy Ministry.

The Sedusun Tech Valley project is one of the Penang government’s strategic projects, in collaboration with the Northern Coridor Implementation Authority (NCIA). It will create an Agriculture Silicon Valley, which focuses on the smart agriculture industry to increase agricultural yields optimally compared to what is currently practiced.

NCIA chief executive Mohamad Haris Kader Sultan said the Sedusun Tech Valley, launched by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow today, would begin the design process by year’s end.

He said its development would be carried out in phases.

“In the next phase, we will be getting a RM50 million allocation from the Economy Ministry.

“The top part is private land but what is most important to us about the Sedusun Tech Valley is agrofood, agriculture and agrotourism to create income for the state and maintenance of the project,” he told newsmen after its launch at the Bertam Resort yesterday.

Meanwhile, Chow said the project would be sited in the existing Relau Agriculture Station with a RM1 million allocation for the design process.

“Next year, a tender would be called with the RM50 million allocation to be obtained. After conducting the value engineering, only then we can know the RM50 million is spent on which components.

“If the allocation is insignificant, the components will be carried out in phases until all are fully completed, to see a continuation to the role of the agriculture station,” he added.

Chow said the project would take two years to complete.

Earlier, in his speech during the launch of the Sedusun Tech Valley and the agrofood sector investment seminar, Chow said the agriculture sector has so far contributed as much as 1.8 per cent or RM2.1 billion to Penang’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He said after being fully operational, the Sedusun Tech Valley would also help increase the contribution of the agriculture sector to Penang’s GDP.

Source: NST Online