PUTRAJAYA, May 3 — The Agriculture and Food Industries Ministry (Mafi) will implement a policy to encourage more people to venture into the corn farming industry to produce animal feed.
Its minister Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee said the long-term policy was needed because the government no longer wants to depend on imported corn or bran as animal feed.
“The increase in bran and corn prices are influenced by the global market which is beyond the government’s control. We need to encourage more people to get involved in the corn farming industry,” he said in a press conference after launching the My Best Buy Aidilfitri programme, here, today.
The media previously reported that the rising costs of imported poultry feed was one of the main reasons for the increase in chicken prices.
On the My Best Buy Aidilfitri programme, Ronald said it was implemented for three days starting today at 188 locations identified by the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority nationwide.
The programme, estimated to generate a sale value of over RM77 million, is to help small entrepreneurs promote agricultural and non-agricultural products for local consumption at special and affordable prices, he said.
At the event, Ronald also launched the Young Agropreneur Inspiration book, which documented the success and efforts of Young Agropreneur Grant recipients from 2016 to 2020, to be a guide and reference for all young agropreneurs in the country.
“The successful implementation of these programmes is recorded in this book as a sign of Mafi’s continuous efforts to encourage the involvement of young people in the fields of agriculture and agro-food,” he said. — Bernama
