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The Sun
16-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Generational gap widening in agriculture sector
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is grappling with a widening generational gap in its agriculture sector, despite increased government funding and push toward modernisation. According to a Bernama report, Khazanah Research Institute stated that only 15% of the country's agriculture workforce is under the age of 40, while the average age of padi farmers now stands at 60. This figure raises red flags over long-term food security. In a written response to theSun, The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry acknowledged that perceptions of agriculture as 'low-income, labour-intensive and lacking status' continue to deter youth participation. The ministry cited that the combination of financial barriers, land access issues and limited exposure to modern techniques as core challenges. 'Agriculture is frequently associated with traditional, physically demanding labour and low financial returns. 'As a result, many youths consider agriculture unattractive compared to urban-based careers in technology, services or finance, despite the increasing potential of modern agribusiness and agrotechnology,' the ministry said. It stated that even if youths manage to start agricultural businesses, they face difficulties in accessing stable markets, value chains and reliable post-harvest infrastructure, such as cold storage and logistics. 'Without efficient supply chain networks or market linkages, many young agropreneurs struggle to achieve profitability or scale-up. This creates a discouraging cycle of low returns and limited growth prospects,' the ministry said. Despite the challenges, government initiatives, such as the Young Agropreneur Programme, receive moderate participations. Since 2021, 3,242 youths have participated in the programme, receiving a combined of RM67 million in support, including startup grants and access to business advisory services. The average combined monthly revenue among participants stands at RM17.5 million. theSun was able to reach out to two of the programme participants over the last few years. One such voice on the ground is Mohd Hafiz Nordin, 41, who runs an aquaculture business in Bestari Jaya, Selangor, under ARC Berkat Agrofood Sdn Bhd. He has been in the industry for 19 years, long before the programme was formalised. 'I got involved in agropreneurship before the programme was even officially launched,' Hafiz said. Hafiz received RM30,000 in initial support, which he used to expand his tank-based fish farming operations. However, he stressed that money alone is not enough. 'Grants help, but if you give youth money with no structured mentoring, they'll follow theory. When theory fails, so does the business,' he said. A similar sentiment is echoed by Farah Hidayah Chu Ahmad, 39, who received the programme assistance in 2020 for her sambal -based food processing business in Selangor. 'While the RM20,000 grant I received at the time was essential in scaling up my production, attracting youths to my operations has been difficult. 'Raw material costs are high and production margins are tight. 'We can't offer RM3,000 salaries to new workers when the business itself is unpredictable.' In response to the manpower gap, the government has increased its allocation for the programme to RM25 million in 2025, up from RM20 million the year before. The start-up grant, which offers non-repayable in-kind support, was revised to provide up to RM30,000 per participant. A new scale-up initiative was also introduced, providing up to RM50,000 to help existing youth agropreneurs expand their agribusiness ventures.
Free Malaysia Today
30-04-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
‘Eggs-traordinary' boost for Malaysian poultry stocks
The removal of egg subsidies is the latest step in the government's fiscal consolidation efforts. PETALING JAYA : Poultry stocks saw a boost in their share prices today following the government's announcement it is scrapping price control and subsidies for chicken eggs under its subsidy rationalisation initiative. Teo Seng Capital Bhd and PWF Corp Bhd spiked as much as 8% each, Lay Hong Bhd rose 6% while CCK Consolidated Holdings Bhd edged up 4%. However, the news had muted effect on the large-cap poultry companies. QL Resources Bhd ticked up 0.6% while Leong Hup International Bhd rose 0.8%. QL and Leong Hup are valued at RM17.5 billion and RM2.26 billion, respectively. In contrast, Teo Seng, PWF, Lay Hong and CCK have market capitalisation ranging between RM250 million and RM840 million. The agriculture and food security ministry announced this morning the government will end price control on eggs effective on May 1 as part of its phased subsidy retargeting. Subsidies on eggs will be halved to five sen from 10 sen per unit, before being fully scrapped on Aug 1, 2025. The removal of egg subsidies is the latest step in the government's ongoing fiscal consolidation efforts. 'The government has also taken into account that prolonged price control and subsidy is unsustainable for the local egg producing industry as well as the country's fiscal health,' the ministry statement said. The government initially planned to float egg prices in July 2023 but postponed the move due to concerns about potential price increases and the impact on consumers. It had spent close to RM2.5 billion between February 2022 and December 2024 for subsidies on eggs to help producers cope with rising costs of soybean and corn following the Covid-19 pandemic and Ukraine-Russia conflict. To minimise the impact on cost of living, the government will undertake intervention measures including introducing a new grade of reasonably priced eggs and stepping up enforcement to curb profiteering and price manipulation.
Malay Mail
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
‘Grandpa robbers' go on trial in Paris over Kim Kardashian jewel heist
PARIS, April 28 — A group of men dubbed the 'grandpa robbers' stand trial today on charges of robbing reality TV star Kim Kardashian at gunpoint and stealing jewelry worth millions of euros during Paris Fashion Week nearly a decade ago. Several of the accused were of or near retirement age at the time of the 2016 heist, which was considered when it happened to be the biggest robbery involving an individual in France for more than 20 years. Kardashian will travel to Paris in May to give evidence in the trial, which will run for almost a month, her lawyer said. The suspects, wearing ski masks and clothes with police markings, tied up the billionaire celebrity with zip ties and duct tape, before making off with a US$4 million (RM17.5 million) engagement ring given to her by her then-husband, rapper Kanye West (now known as Ye), and other jewels, according to investigators. 'They kept on saying 'the ring, the ring',' Kardashian told David Letterman in a 2020 interview, during which she fought back tears as she recalled her fears of being raped that night. 'I kept looking at the concierge,' she continued, referring to the concierge of the exclusive building who had been forced at gunpoint to lead the gang to her apartment. 'I was like, 'Are we gonna die? Just tell them I have children, I have babies ... I have to get home'.' DNA traces found on plastic bands used to tie the wrists of Kardashian helped police make arrests the following January. In total, 10 people will be tried by the criminal court. Five of them face armed robbery and kidnapping charges. The others are charged with complicity in the heist or the unauthorised possession of a weapon. One of the accused, Yunice Abbas, 71, has admitted his participation in the robbery - writing a book about his role. Abbas, who had spent 20 years of his working life in jail, told French television channel TF1 the 'big job was to be the last'. He said he had been told a big diamond was the target but not the 'The Kardashians' star. Chloe Arnoux, a lawyer representing Aomar Ait Khedache - nicknamed 'Omar the Old' and accused of being the group's ringleader - which he denies - said her client could end up spending the rest of his life in prison due to his age. She said in an interview with BFM TV that he had written to Kardashian to apologise, but his letter had been intercepted by officials. — Reuters
