Revive food security council, Muhyiddin tells govt

 

Declining food supply is a global concern following the Covid-19 pandemic.

PUTRAJAYA: The government should revive the food security council that was previously established to handle food crises, chairman of the National Recovery Council (MPN) Muhyiddin Yassin said today.

The former prime minister said reinstating the council could increase domestic food production.

“This is a global problem and Malaysia is no exception in facing declining food supply following the pandemic.

“So, we propose that the government reactivate the council (that previously existed), as it can increase our domestic production of food.

“Although some (food) is already being produced, it has yet to reach a self-sufficient level,” he said after an MPN meeting at the finance ministry.

He was responding to questions on whether MPN had discussed the food supply crisis the country was experiencing.

Muhyiddin also said the country was able to produce its own food but added that the sector was widely unexplored.

He said the revival of the council was not a solution on its own but could be one of the measures taken to address the agro-food problem the country was facing.

“There are many issues related to the development of the agro-food sector that should be focused on, which would incentivise investors to improve the national agricultural sector and help us address the problem of food security.”

Muhyiddin’s statement comes in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war and India’s recent decision to ban wheat exports.

The eastern European conflict has affected global exports of sunflower oil, corn, soybeans and wheat, all key ingredients used in chicken feed, which has since become more expensive.

On May 14, India banned wheat exports, just days after saying it was targeting record shipments this year, as a scorching heatwave curtailed output and local prices hit an all-time high amid strong export demand.

Its government said it would still allow exports for letters of credit that have already been issued and on the request of countries that are trying “to meet their food security needs”. - FMT