Malaysia will soon import young cattle from China to boost the country's meat production industry, local press reported Monday.

The Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry has reached an agreement with suppliers from China and the import will start soon, the ministry's Director-General Zulkifli Idris said.

The move is to supplement supply from traditional sources of cattle for livestock farming, such as Australia, Zulkifli told reporters Sunday in Kuantan, Pahang state.

He said the Chinese yellow cattle breed would be cheaper and easier to rear compared with those imported from other countries, the New Straits Times reported.

"The cattle from China are similar to the local breed and most importantly, much cheaper," Zulkifli was quoted as saying by the English daily.

Source: Xinhua