END OF SEED AND FERTILZER CARTEL

Latest news about END OF SEED AND FERTILZER CARTEL was urged by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today as the seed and fertiliser monopoly held by cartels must come to an end in order to improve the country’s productivity in the agricultural sector. He said we can no longer allow seed and fertiliser monopolies to dominate the industry as he said in his speech when opening of the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Exhibition (Maha) 0n 14 September 2024. A firm stance is needed, and the (agriculture and food security) ministry must act decisively to curb cartels that control the import of fertilisers and seeds he adding that political will is also important. He then called for new practices to prioritise selecting quality products based on research and evidence, and ensuring the best outcomes for farmers, fishermen and smallholders. Malaysian current government is now practising this new approach in which he expressed confidence that Malaysia’s agricultural landscape would see significant progress over the next two years, crediting the agriculture and food security ministry’s efforts. PM hope every agricultural agency will take this as a challenge because it can happen. Take lessons from how Qatar and Russia improved their agricultural productivity. Anwar added that Malaysia’s agricultural sector must adopt artificial intelligence (AI) technology to boost its productivity.  He had seen firsthand how AI can increase output. However, it requires a shift in practices and mindset within the local industry adding that government machinery must also function as an integrated ecosystem to drive improvements in productivity. In this article of "Anim Agriculture Technology" I like to share current news during MAHA Exibition Opening Ceremony recently.

Prime Minister also spoke of several mega projects being planned in the agricultural sector, including the first phase of a large-scale padi cultivation initiative, with a total project value of RM5 billion. He told reporter who is also finance minister said the project aims to boost padi yields and improve the livelihoods of local farmers. The ministry is focusing on increasing the nation’s rice production. This is crucial for enhancing the welfare of our farmers and ensuring food security. PM emphasized the need for all ministries and agencies to work as a cohesive team to ensure the nation’s food production targets were met. PM also acknowledged the challenge of rallying farmers, rice growers and fishermen to embrace these changes and adapt to the upcoming transformation in the agricultural sector. The key challenge is how to engage the farming communities, especially the padi planters and fishermen, to embrace this transformation and significantly increase their yields. Reported in May 2024 PM Anwar announced the government would increase its funding to upgrade irrigation systems in the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada) region to implement a five-season padi planting project within two years. The expansion of the programme will cover an additional 30,000 hectares of land in Mada areas, which will be developed in stages. Ministry of Ahriculture told that the agricultural products contributed 10.9% to the country’s gross domestic product in the first quarter of the year 2024. Mistry told this growth came from three key sub-sectors that was agriculture (3.1%), manufacturing (2.2%) and services (5.6%) respectively.

Many media said that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stressed that cartel practices in Malaysia’s agriculture sector must and will be stopped. He said the outdated system of importing seeds through cartels and monopolies must end without delay, and future decisions must be data-driven while prioritising the welfare of farmers, fishermen, and smallholders. He told to guarantee productivity, the entire ecosystem must be streamlined, especially with the involvement of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) and other relevant ministries. Seeds and fertilisers can no longer be controlled by cartels and monopolies like before. That is why it is essential to have a minister and a secretary-general who are firm in ensuring that the old cartel practices in fertiliser importation are completely eliminatedas he said when officiating the opening of the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture, and Agrotourism Exhibition (Maha) 2024 at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park today.Also present were Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu, and his deputy Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup. Anwar said the food sector is a crucial pillar that the country must develop and focus on. Therefore, he stressed the importance of creating a holistic and sustainable ecosystem, rather than relying solely on the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama). Fama is a cornerstone and its performance has improved significantly. That is why I stress that the ecosystem must be functioning effectively. The Agriculture Ministry is a large and strategically important ministry for our country. Thanks.

By,

M Anem,

Senior Agronomist,

Melaka,

Malaysia.

(September 2024).