MALAYSIA - RICE PRODUCTION TO BE INCREASE TO 75%

A REPORT how the rice production to be increased to 75 per cent released by Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI) from Putrajaya. Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Ministry targets to increase 75 per cent of local rice production from the current 70 per cent in a few years’ time to reduce the dependency on imported rice. The minister urged 30 per cent or 740,000 tonnes of rice were imported last year with a cost of RM1.18 million. The ministry has agreed to increase local rice production to 75 per cent and probably in three or four years to come. MAFI will increase the use of technology to do ‘profiling’ and the usage of suitable fertiliser. That is what we are going to focus on.  NSTP reported that currently the country only produces only about two million tonnes of rice while the remaining one tonne are imported rice. Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA)  informed that from the aspect of food security, it is a dangerous situation if suddenly the rice producing countries stop the sale of rice or increase the price. Besides that, the population growth increases every year and forces paddy fields to be developed especially in urban areas and causing areas designated for paddy plantation to shrink. Responding on the paddy fields, Salahuddin said he has brought the issue to the National Land Council. It is not the task for the ministry alone to make sure the fields remain. Land is the state’s right and we can only suggest ideas. Malaysia have raised this issue so that the state will take initiatives to gazette paddy fields because if not, it will keep getting smaller. If the state wants to provide new land for paddy plantations, we very much welcome it. Nowadays the ministry is actively involved in legitimisation process to make sure that only qualified farmers, breeders and fishermen would receive incentives provided by the government. For example there were fishermen who registered themselves and their children to receive incentives, but their children already have another job. MAFI are worried if government provide benefits to those who don’t qualify. Therefore the legitimisation process will be continuously carried out. MAFI are confident that this year, the incentives will only be given to the targeted groups. MAFI outlined a five-way forward for the ministry this year; to modernise and increase agriculture produce, intensify involvement in private investment and make agriculture a strong source of income. And apart from that the agriculture ecosystem must be improved and department and agency organisational structure must be strengthened. Thanks...

By,

M Anem,

Putrajaya,

Malaysia.

(August 2022).