SHAH ALAM: All states should work together, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, in formulating a new mechanism to reduce dependence on imported food supplies, said Selangor Infrastructure and Agriculture Committee chairman Datuk Izham Hashim.
He said Selangor, once regarded as one of the states dominating the country’s agro-based sector, could not meet demand without cooperation from other states with diverse resources.
“It is very difficult for us to meet the needs of nine million people in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur alone, but we can contribute to strengthening the national food chain, through modernisation and high-value agriculture.
“If every state plays its role, including developing a sustainable framework, the country’s overall food supply will be more secure, and reliance on imports can be reduced,” he told reporters at a press conference at Dataran Karnival, Stadium Shah Alam, here, on Saturday (Sept 27).
He acknowledged that every state faced its own set of challenges, particularly in urban areas, where high costs and land constraints posed difficulties in boosting domestic food supply or self-sufficiency level (SSL).
Izham also suggested that other states prioritise modern, high-value agricultural methods, capable of doubling food production compared with conventional practices.
“If we focus on high-value agriculture, even small plots of land can generate high yields. For example, modern techniques, such as hydroponics, can produce up to three times more than conventional farming.
“This approach must be treated as a discipline, and supported by the use of available technology,” he said.
“Technologies in production, seeding, marketing and storage must be given due attention and further streamlined. By doing so, we can significantly cut costs – for instance, Malaysia currently spends RM7.5bil on importing vegetables and fruits which we are actually capable of producing ourselves,” he said.
Earlier, Izham officiated the Selangor AgroFest (SAF) 2025, which features 160 agricultural and agro-food stalls, and is expected to generate sales transactions worth RM500,000 over its four-day run.
The event, which ends tomorrow, will also see 10 agripreneurs named as Selangor Agro Icons 2024/2025, each receiving prizes worth RM10,000. – Bernama
