The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) is poised to receive a higher allocation under Budget 2027 following its commendable performance this year, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said the increase would reflect the ministry’s role as a key pillar in strengthening the country’s agricultural sector, while several new initiatives and programmes would remain a focus in the upcoming Budget.
Anwar said the MADANI Government had given special attention to MAFS programmes and that requests by Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu would be considered when the Budget is formulated in October.
“Based on our initial discussions, several new pillars and initiatives by the ministry and agricultural programmes will remain a focus, and I believe the allocation should be increased in line with the commendable performance,” he said in his speech at the closing ceremony of the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Exhibition (MAHA) 2026 at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) today.
He stated he had no objection to increasing funding for MAFS, as it would directly benefit farmers, paddy farmers, smallholders and fishermen.
However, Anwar stressed that any increase must be matched by strict, prudent and integrity-driven governance to prevent leakages or misappropriation.
Turning to MAHA 2026, he said the exhibition recorded its highest attendance in history, attracting more than 4.3 million visitors and generating RM66.88 million in sales.
He attributed the strong turnout to participation from farmers, smallholders, investors and entrepreneurs across the agricultural industry, as well as the public.
The 14th edition of MAHA was held from Aug 28 to Sept 6, featuring about 2,000 exhibitors from the agricultural and agri-food sectors.
