Ronald Kiandee, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI) has announced MAFI’s plans with its Budget 2021 allocation at the Majlis Amanat YBM 2021. The Ministry will be looking into food supply chains, incentives, subsidies and living allowances.
For 2021, MAFI will be emphasising the following with the allocation of RM4.79 billion under Budget 2021:
- To restore every stage of the food supply chain while continuing to pay special attention to the welfare of farmers, breeders, and fishermen.
- Total subsidies and incentives received in 2021 increased by 0.4 percent compared to the previous year’s RM570 million for rice price subsidies and RM960 million allocated for rice crop subsidies including reintroduced hill paddy fertiliser subsidy of rm570 million for rice price subsidies and RM960 million allocated for rice crop subsidies including reintroduced hill paddy fertiliser subsidy of RM40 million. The overall subsidies and incentives for the rice sector will benefit 300,000 farmers nationwide.
- The increase in fishermen’s living allowance from RM250 to RM300 per month will benefit 40,000 fishermen and an increase in fish farm owners’ living allowance from RM200 to RM250 will benefit 3,400 fishermen.
- Dana Jaminan Makanan amounted to RM410 million to explore the new potential in commercial-scale agriculture through seven major initiatives as approved by the Ministry of Finance.
- The Rancangan Malaysia Ke-12 (RMKe-12) where MAFI will focus on the new agromatic business sector and high-value agricultural industry that can create economic opportunities for the people.
- Amend the Dasar Agromakanan Negara 2021-2030 or DAN 2.0 which is expected to be completed in February 2021.
On top of that, in regards to the postponement of the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agro Tourism Exhibition 2020 (MAHA 2020), the new date will be re-adapted taking into account the date of implementation of Hari Peladang, Penternak dan Nelayan Kebangsaan (HPPNK) 2021.
“My aspiration towards MAHA 2020 and HPPNK 2021 is to attract more than 100,000 hybrid participation, thus producing a potential sales value of over RM300 million including business matching as targeted.
We must continue to place greater emphasis on the use of mechanised and automation technologies, the development of modern agricultural models, accurate agriculture, robotic agro-, Internet of Things (IoT) applications, and anything in line with the Industrial Revolution 4.0.
Besides that, I also hope that MAFI will be a business-friendly Ministry and able to attract investment into the agromatic sector that contributes to the country’s economy,” he concluded.
