Kerajaan ketat kawalan sayur import elak petani tempatan terjejas

The Malaysian government is tightening control over the import of vegetables, particularly those from China, to prevent local farmers from being undercut by cheaper foreign produce. Malaysian Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu stated that this measure is necessary to prevent price competition when imported vegetables can be sold at lower prices than locally produced ones.

The COA, or High Analysis Certificate, will be implemented mainly for vegetables imported from China due to their affordability and impact on local vegetable farmers. The government aims to increase local farmers' production and competitiveness against imported products. This move is part of efforts to reduce Malaysia's food import dependence, which is expected to exceed RM90 billion by 2025.

The minister responded to a question from Khoo Poay Tiong (PH-Kota Melaka) about the government's efforts to reduce the high dependence on food imports. The issue of price competition has also emerged from events in Cameron Highlands where farmers were forced to destroy their crops as they could not get the market price for their produce.

The federal government is working with state governments to provide land for increasing local food production, including vegetables, poultry, and oil palm. The ministry officials will continue to consult with state governments to identify suitable areas for food production development. Mohamad emphasized the need to strengthen efforts to increase local production to reduce dependence on food imports, as well as to increase the value of the agricultural sector's exports.