Tag: Adoption Village

KPKM accelerates efforts to strengthen national food supply chain – Mohamad Sabu

TASEK GELUGOR: The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) is actively strengthening long-term efforts to reduce the country's dependence on basic food following global geopolitical uncertainties which could affect the country's costs and supply chain. Its Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said his party is targeting 30 percent of the country's corn grain needs to be produced locally by 2030, including through the development of more than 2,000 hectares of crops in Perlis which will be launched this month. He said the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development was also expanding onion planting on a large scale involving the Farmers' Organisation Board (LPP) and related agencies, with the target of covering 30 percent of the local onion supply within the next four years. Malaysia currently, he said, depends almost 100 percent on corn and soy imports, which are among the main factors influencing the price of chicken and eggs if there is a price increase in the international market. "Animal feed such as corn and soy still depends heavily on imports. When world prices rise, the costs of our farmers also rise. When oil rises, the costs of fishermen going out to sea also rise. When fertilizer rises, the costs of farmers also rise. "Although the cause is beyond our control, the government cannot let up. The government must work, be prepared and ensure that the food supply is sufficient," he told reporters after the opening ceremony of the MADANI Adoption Village and MADANI Adoption School in Kampung Guar Petai, here, today. Mohamad said that so far the prices of basic foods including chicken, eggs and rice are still under control, but the government will continue to monitor the situation including the possibility of price manipulation if import costs increase. In terms of the country's main food supply, he said it was still stable with the country's rice buffer stock at around 300,000 tonnes while the supply of chicken and eggs was also at a good self-sufficiency level. Meanwhile, commenting on the claims of rice farmers regarding the increase in the cost of planting rice, Mohamad said the ministry always takes into account the views of the group, including regarding the cost of ploughing and agricultural inputs. He said the government had previously approved assistance of RM200 for initial ploughing work to help reduce the burden on rice farmers.

TASEK GELUGOR: The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) is actively strengthening long-term efforts to reduce the country’s dependence on basic food following global geopolitical uncertainties which could affect the country’s costs and supply chain. Its Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said his party is targeting 30 percent of the country’s corn grain needs […]