Mat Sabu urges more Bumiputera farmers to go big in commercial agriculture
SERDANG: Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu wants more Bumiputera farmers to compete in large-scale agriculture, encouraged by the growing number of young people taking up farming full-time.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu has urged more Bumiputera farmers to enter large-scale commercial farming, inspired by the increasing number of young people dedicating themselves to the profession. During the launch of new pomelo and sweet potato varieties at Maha 2026 in Serdang today, he emphasized that Bumiputera farmers should strive to compete with established commercial farming communities.
Sabu stressed that succeeding in this sector demands full-time commitment. He noted that he is witnessing a growing number of Bumiputera farmers venturing into agriculture on a full-time basis, which he finds impressive. One recipient of the new varieties, a former engineer, now cultivates a 200-acre sweet potato farm in Terengganu.
The minister also introduced two new pomelo clones, Melomax 1 and Melomax 2, along with the V8 sweet potato variety developed by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI). Six recipients received planting materials to aid the expansion of these new varieties, with 300 pomelo saplings and 30,000 V8 sweet potato cuttings distributed for cultivation across Selangor, Kelantan, and Sabah.
Maha 2026 is currently underway at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (Maeps) from August 28 to September 6.
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