No food shortage in Malaysia, supply stable despite global pressures

PUTRAJAYA (April 16): Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Chan Foong Hin said the country’s basic food supply remains stable following mitigation measures taken by the government, such as increasing rice stockpile reserves from six months to nine months. “What we are seeing now is an energy crisis, not a food crisis, and food supply remains available,” he told reporters after launching the KPKM Dunia Agro+ programme here on Thursday. Chan said supplies of other goods, such as vegetables and fruits are also adequate, although prices may fluctuate according to seasonal factors. He said seasonal changes can cause vegetable prices to rise or fall, and the price movements are not necessarily entirely due to the global energy crisis. At the same time, Chan assured that the country’s fertiliser supply remains sufficient for the next few months, with existing stocks expected to last beyond July despite export restrictions imposed by several countries. Commenting on ...