Latest news with #Fama
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Sabah records highest agricultural holdings in Malaysia
SOOK: The interim report of the 2024 Agriculture Census shows that Sabah recorded the highest number of agricultural holdings in Malaysia, with a total of 159,259. Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup said the agricultural holdings refer to the number of individuals or organisations engaged in the agricultural sector, with Sabah's interior zone, comprising the districts of Keningau, Sook, Nabawan, Tambunan and Tenom, accounting for 26 per cent of the state's total agricultural holdings. "This number is expected to increase further given the vast potential of undeveloped agricultural land in the interior areas," he said when launching the Road to National Farmers, Breeders and Fishermen Day (HPPNK) 2025 Series 2 here today. In response to this development, he said the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry, through its various agencies, has stepped up efforts to boost the agricultural sector in the interior areas. "These efforts include the establishment of the Sook Area Farmers' Organisation (PPK); setting up a coffee processing facility in Sapulut, Nabawan; restoring padi fields in Tulid; and cultivating taro and onions in Sook. "We are also working to introduce high market-potential crops such as MD2 pineapples," he said. Arthur said the federal government, together with the state government, remains committed to strengthening the agricultural sector through policy planning, technical support programmes and rural infrastructure investments to continuously enhance agri-food productivity. "As the lead agency for agri-food marketing services in the country, the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) plays a key role in strengthening the agri-food security chain by focusing on accessibility and affordability for consumers, supply availability, as well as usage stability and sustainability," he said. He said that last year, Sabah Fama was allocated RM13.8 million for the implementation of 313 projects and programmes, benefiting over 29,000 entrepreneurs and contributing to sales worth RM83 million. "With the upgrading of tamu (rural markets), strengthening of retail outlet networks, and strategic engagement with farmers and operators at the grassroots level, Fama is confident that Sabah can become one of the key pillars in the national food security agenda," he added. Commenting on the Road to HPPNK 2025 programme, he said it serves as a platform to recognise the contributions and roles of farmers, breeders and fishermen in developing the national agri-food sector. "HPPNK held here in Sook is our final series before the national-level HPPNK 2025, which is scheduled to take place from Aug 1 to 3 in Kota Kinabalu. "This year is especially meaningful as we celebrate 50 years of HPPNK. "What makes it even more special is that the national-level HPPNK celebration returns to Sabah after 30 years. "The last time Sabah hosted the event was in 1995," he said. – Bernama
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Fama encourages use of local fruits at govt functions
REMBAU: The Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) encouraged government agencies to serve local fruits at official events, as part of efforts to support and promote the country's agro-based products. Its director-general Abdul Rashid Bahri said that such an initiative would not only help strengthen the economy of local fruit and vegetable entrepreneurs but also raise public awareness on the importance of prioritising locally produced goods. He said the exemption of Sales and Service Tax (SST) on local fruits has also contributed to the growing demand for local produce. "The local fruits and vegetables campaign this time is more focused and ongoing. "We have also reminded government functions to prioritise local products and menus, and caterers have been informed of this directive. "We can already see an increase in the use of local fruits at government events compared with the past, when imported fruits such as oranges, grapes and apples were commonly served," he told reporters after opening the Kopiesatu branch at Petron Pedas today. Abdul Rashid said that the growing demand for local products has encouraged farmers to increase production, while Fama remains committed to promoting local sales campaigns, particularly for high-demand items, such as bananas, pineapples and watermelons. In another development, he said that Fama would continue efforts to strengthen the local coffee industry through its Kopiesatu brand, a wholly-owned product of the agency, which has been in the market since 2001 and now operates 23 branches nationwide. "This initiative not only delivers the taste of high-quality local coffee, but also serves as a platform for entrepreneur development, particularly in the food and beverage sector. "The main objective of establishing Kopiesatu is to position it as a leader among small and medium entrepreneurs in the coffee industry, cater to the demand for local coffee products, and promote the country's agro-based sector. "Kopiesatu also aims to raise public awareness about the availability of high-quality and competitive local coffee brands," he said. He said the Kopiesatu business model is offered through a licensing scheme, priced at RM20,000, which includes facilities and support such as administrative assistance, training, a POS software system, branded uniforms, marketing, monitoring, and continuous licensing support. The licensing packages available include kiosk setups, food trucks (new or existing), and push carts. – Bernama
Malay Mail
09-07-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Malaysia Fest 2025 in Singapore aims for RM15m sales, 180,000 visitors
SINGAPORE, July 9 — The Malaysia Fest 2025 expo at the Singapore Expo Convention Centre is targeting 180,000 visitors and RM15 million in direct sales during its eighth edition, said Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) chairman Aminuddin Zulkipli. He said the four-day expo, which begins on July 31, is organised by MegaXpress International in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security through Fama, and will feature 321 booths showcasing Malaysian agrofood products, tourism offerings, as well as health and beauty items 'The objective of this programme is to provide a platform for Malaysian entrepreneurs to promote their products to consumers in Singapore, while also offering opportunities to build business networks and connect with potential importers,' he said at the pre-launch press conference for Malaysia Fest on Tuesday. Aminuddin said Fama will bring 10 tonnes of tropical and seasonal fruits to the expo, including products featured for the first time such as limau susu from Sarawak, Pitaya Twin from Negeri Sembilan, and Abiu fruit from Johor, along with 1,500 stock keeping units (SKUs). He stated that Fama also plays a role in conducting market intelligence on the marketability and competitiveness of products produced by Malaysian entrepreneurs in the Singapore market during the expo. Meanwhile, the High Commissioner of Malaysia to Singapore, Datuk Dr Azfar Mohamad Mustafar, said that Malaysian products — especially fruits — have consistently found a place in the republic, as evidenced by the increase in trade value from around RM400 million in 2020 to nearly RM500 million in 2023. 'There is certainly great potential for Malaysian products here, perhaps because Singaporeans have greater purchasing power, with some of the fruits brought here being relatively expensive to sell in the Malaysian market,' he said. He added that the expo will also serve as a platform to help Malaysian micro, small, and medium entrepreneurs break into the Singapore market, in addition to promoting Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VMY2026). On another front, the Director of Tourism Malaysia (Singapore), Norliza Md Zain, said that this year the agency will bring 16 companies from the tourism sector to participate in the expo to market their packages to consumers in Singapore. The expo will, among other things, feature the participation of local celebrities such as Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin, Datuk Seri Hasmiza Othman (Datuk Seri Vida), Datuk Seri Aliff Syukri Kamarzaman, and Datuk Khadijah Ibrahim Malaysia Fest 2025, themed 'Unlock The Treasures of Malaysia', will take place from July 31 to August 3 at Halls 5A and 5B of the Singapore Expo, from 10am to 10pm. — Bernama
Malay Mail
07-07-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
How much onions do Malaysians eat and why is it biting into our national coffers?
KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — Hardly any Malaysian cuisine can be cooked without onions, making the tubers one of the most expensive food items the country pays for. Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) chairman Aminuddin Zulkipli said Malaysians consume close to 750,000 tonnes of onions a year, citing the recent Kajian Kepenggunaan Agro-Makanan Segar study. To put it visually, that's as heavy as seven fully loaded aircraft carriers! Last year, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu told the Dewan Rakyat that Malaysia imported 687,000 metric tonnes of onions in 2022 — including 38,000 tonnes of shallots. Going by that figure, Mohamad Sabu said the average Malaysian eats about 1.2kg of shallots alone. 'The consumption of onions in Malaysia is growing rapidly especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. 'However, we expect the demand to grow steadily with no drastic spikes,' he told Malay Mail, when interviewed recently. Malaysia's onion imports — comprising big onions, garlic and shallots — crossed RM1 billion in 2023 and came close to RM1.5 billion in 2024. — Picture by Firdaus Latif So, how is our growing appetite for onions weighing on the national coffers? Malaysia's onion imports crossed RM1 billion in 2023 and came close to RM1.5 billion last year, according to figures published by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM). The imports comprise large onions, shallots and garlic. Aminuddin said the cost of onion imports jumped by 67 per cent in the last five years — from RM887.3 million for 479,746 metric tonnes of onions in 2020 to RM1,482.9 million in 2024. The cost of Fama's direct purchase of onions has also more than doubled between 2021 and 2024, he said. Locally-grown shallots harvested from a farm in Sepang in June 2025 on display during a promotional event at the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) headquarters in Selayang. — Picture by Raymond Manuel Where do our onions come from? China is the largest supplier of onions to Malaysia, accounting for 46.3 per cent of all onions imported by the country. India and Pakistan control around one-third of onions imported by Malaysia, contributing 19.2 per cent and 15.4 per cent respectively. The remaining sources include the Netherlands (five per cent), Myanmar (four per cent), Thailand (between four to five per cent) and several other countries. Why cultivating shallots locally is crucial Earlier this year, Mohamad Sabu said Malaysia could offset RM300 million — nearly a third of its overall RM1 billion onion import bill — if the country can produce 30 per cent of shallots locally. Echoing his optimism, Aminuddin said Fama will play a key role in the commercialisation phase of the shallot cultivation initiative, especially to reduce the production costs of shallots. 'Malaysia did not produce shallots locally in the past because importing was cheaper, but supply chain disruptions after the Covid-19 pandemic has made us rethink our approach. 'From Fama's perspective, we cannot just rely on conventional agriculture if we want to reduce the production cost of shallots. 'We should also consider alternative methods like organic regenerative agriculture so that we don't have to depend on pesticides too much. 'The prices of pesticides keep soaring every year, and by reducing the use of pesticides, we can surely bring down the production cost,' he said.
Free Malaysia Today
18-06-2025
- Free Malaysia Today
Penang authorities to raid places selling fake Balik Pulau durians
Penang agriculture executive councillor Fahmi Zainol said most legitimate durian farmers had adopted the government's 'track and trace' system to boost transparency and consumer confidence. KEPALA BATAS : The authorities in Penang have identified several places where imported durians, particularly from Thailand, are being falsely marketed as the famed Balik Pulau variety. State agriculture executive councillor Fahmi Zainol said joint operations involving the police, agriculture department and Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) would be launched soon to curb such fraudulent practices. 'We've identified two or three hotspots where durians are brought in by truck from Thailand but sold as local produce. 'We're just waiting for the right time to conduct the raids and issue compounds,' he told reporters at the Bumbong Lima Agricultural Training Institute today. He said this followed public complaints and ongoing monitoring by authorities. A roadblock has been set up at the Juru toll plaza by the Malaysian quarantine and inspection services department (Maqis) and other agencies to detect non-compliant agricultural products, especially durians. While durians from other regions are not banned, Fahmi said sellers must not misrepresent them as Balik Pulau durians. 'We now have a 'track and trace' system in place since June 1. Every durian is tagged with a QR code that lets consumers verify its origin, from farm to table,' he said. He urged the public to report suspicious sellers, adding that most legitimate durian farmers in Penang had adopted the tracking system to boost transparency and consumer confidence.
