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Govt to actively expand aquaculture sector
The government will expand the aquaculture sector more aggressively as it contributes greatly to the country's economy.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today the government already had plans to develop the sector, including identifying areas across the country that could be turned into aquaculture industrial zones.
"There are already a few now, but it has huge potential to be developed into something bigger, not only for rearing shrimps and fish but also for processing fish-based products," he told reporters after launching the 2009 National Farmers', Livestock Breeders' and Fishermen's Day celebration at the Melaka International Trade Centre in Ayer Keroh here.
Muhyiddin said in planning the development of the agricultural sector, the government had placed aquaculture as among the sectors that could boost the value of agricultural produce.
He hoped those involved in the agricultural sector would grab the opportunities made available by the government through the Agricultural and Agro-based Industry Ministry to explore the aquaculture sector.
He said the government would continue to develop the agro-based industry so that the number of products would always increase while the methods of packaging, labelling and branding would improve so that the products would be receive by a wider market.
Speaking at the launch, Muhyiddin said the effort to remobilise the agricultural sector, particularly the agro-food sector, had already begun to show good results.
"If we look at it, the agro-food export sector has increased from RM13.7 billion in 2007 to RM17.7 billion in 2008, an increase of 29.2 per cent, backed by the increase in processed products," he said.
He said this showed that the sector could rise again if given proper focus.
To ensure the success of the agricultural sector, all parties including farmers, breeders, fishermen and the corporate sector, must to be ready to face various global challenges, he said.
Muhyiddin called on farmers, livestock breeders and fishermen to understand and practise the new agricultural concept of "the entire value chain" (an approach introduced in the Ninth Malaysia Plan) which was from the farm to the table, meaning the agricultural and agro-based industry sector needed to be developed in all aspects of the supply chain management.
"It starts from the seeding level, manufacturing, handling after harvest, storage, logistics to grading, labelling, packaging, delivery, retailing, wholesaling, marketing, branding, processing and finally sold to consumers," he said.
He also felt that when the time comes, farmers should have their own farming machinery so they could determine their own time and schedule and not be dependent on others.
He said the private sector involved in the agricultural sector needed to play a more active role so that the sector's transformation from traditional agricultural methods to modern ones could be expedited.
At the ceremony, Jamil Saiman of Kampung Tuan Seh, Tanjung Sedili, Kota Tinggi, Johor, was named the Most Successful Farmer for the Men's category while Siti Noraini Markom of Kampung Kundang, Tanjung Sepat, Selangor, grabbed the title in the women's category.
Zakaria Daud of Tanjung Lumpur, Kuantan, Pahang was chosen as the Most Successful Fishermen and Yap Yun Fook of Keningau, Sabah. the Most Successful Ruminant Breeder Entrepreneur. Mohamad Yahya from Shah Alam, Selangor, was named the Most Successful Non-Ruminant Breeding Entrepreneur.
The winners took home RM15,000, a trophy and certificate.
Meanwhile, the Kota Tinggi Timur Area Farmers Association in Johor was picked as the best farmer's association of the year, with a RM20,000 prize, trophy and certificate.
The week-long celebration ends this Sunday.
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