PUTRAJAYA: The National Agricommodity Policy (DAKN) 2021-2030 will drive the development of the agricommodity sector in a more sustainable, competitive and market-oriented manner in line with new norms and increased digital technology use post-Covid-19, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.
He said DAKN 2021-2023 would be launched by the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry to replace the National Commodity Policy (DKN) 2011-2020.
"This new policy that will oversee the development of agrocommodity in the country is important so that the sector remains competitive and sustainable," he said at the launch of the Keluarga Malaysia Agricommodity tour programme here today.
The prime minister said DAKN 2021-2030 will be used as a reference for the country's commodity industry in terms of environment, social and governance (ESG) as well as towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals Agenda 2030.
"It will produce 'smart' smallholders who practice modern agriculture through the use of technology. This policy will increase the competitiveness of Bumiputera entrepreneurs in the agricommodity industry downstream sector," he said.
Ismail Sabri said in 2020, the agrocommodity sector had contributed about RM85 billion to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), of which upstream agrocommodity GDP contribution was RM46 billion and downstream RM38 billion.
He said despite the country facing the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, the export value of agrocommodity products in 2020 remained strong at RM151.3 billion, registering an increase of 17.8 per cent compared to RM128.5 billion in 2019.
In 2021, he said total agrocommodity exports continued to be encouraging even though the country was still dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, adding that until November 2021, export revenue was estimated at RM189.8 billion, an increase of 41.6 per cent over the same period in 2020.
The prime minister said this achievement was largely driven by increased imports in global major markets as well as higher commodity prices especially involving palm oil-based products.
For example, he said the total exports of palm oil-related products to India had recorded a commendable increase with exports more than doubling from RM8.5 billion in 2020 to RM17.8 billion in 2021.
Ismail Sabri said Malaysia also emerged as the world's biggest producer of rubber gloves when it controlled 65 per cent of the market for the product.
The prime minister also has high hopes that the agrocommodity sector, a source of income for nearly one million smallholders, could help regenerate the economy and restore economic stability.
In efforts to develop the economy, he said Malaysia could not run away from facing various challenges, especially restrictions imposed by certain parties on the country's agrocommodity products such as oil palm and rubber.
"However, in the spirit of Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family), KPKK staff and agencies, with the support of industry players, must stand firm to defend the country's products so that they continue to be accepted and promoted worldwide," he said.
He said the government would also ensure the agrocommodity sector remained strong and, through Budget 2022, an allocation of about RM670 million had also been given to the KPKK for operating and development expenditure.
For decades, he said, the sector had provided employment opportunities to many Malaysians and had succeeded in reducing the number of poverty-stricken families.
According to him, the national poverty rate, which was at 49.3 per cent in 1970, dropped to 5.6 per cent in 2019 and the reduction, he believes, was due partly to the contributions of the sector. –
BERNAMA