Dr Salleh Mohd Nor said productivity in plantation forests could be higher than in natural forests, while new technologies have allowed a wider range of species to be used.
Statistics show 310,553ha of plantation forests existed in the country at the end of 2004.
The government has identified 2.8 million ha of land as part of its M$2.5bn plan to grow the number of plantations.
Plans include 375,000ha for fast-growing species in the next 15 years, with 25,000ha being cultivated annually. Eight species, including acacia and rubberwood have been identified for planting.
