Malaysia’s rice reserves remain at a comfortable level and are sufficient to meet domestic demand for more than five months should the country face a major disaster, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security said today.
Its Minister, Mohamad Sabu, said that as of Feb 3, the nation’s total physical rice stock stood at 1,089,285 tonnes, comprising 200,000 tonnes of buffer stock and 889,285 tonnes of commercial rice currently circulating in the market.
“With this volume, the existing supply is sufficient to cover national consumption requirements for up to 5.45 months in the event of disruptions caused by natural disasters or other unforeseen circumstances,” he said during the oral question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a question from Zakri Hassan (PN-Kangar) on the ministry’s strategy to ensure food supply continuity in the face of floods and climate change that could affect agricultural output.
Mohamad said the ministry is taking proactive measures to strengthen national food resilience, including the implementation of a pilot project aimed at increasing paddy planting frequency to five seasons within two years.
The initiative, scheduled to begin in stages from 2024, will involve 3,000 hectares under the supervision of the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA). The project is designed to mitigate risks linked to extreme weather patterns and to enhance rice production sustainability.
Beyond rice, the ministry is also intensifying efforts to strengthen the local beef industry through the Ruminant Productivity Enhancement Programme and assisted reproductive technology-based breeding initiatives. These measures are intended to expand the population of high-quality breeding stock and improve domestic beef output.
He added that the Incentive Programme to Boost Beef Cattle Productivity aims to raise the national average calving rate to 60 per cent, thereby reinforcing local meat supply capacity.
At the same time, Malaysia continues to maintain close cooperation with key food-exporting nations, including ASEAN member states, China, India, Pakistan, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand, to safeguard supply chain stability.
“These strategic partnerships are crucial in ensuring that Malaysia’s food supply chain remains resilient and responsive to global uncertainties,” he said.
-THE MALAYSIA VOICE
