{
  "id": 11396885,
  "title": "State governments urged to gazette paddy land as rice self‑sufficiency drops to 54.3pc",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/state-governments-urged-to-gazette-paddy-land-as-rice-self-11396885",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-02T08:20:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/10/02/state-governments-urged-to-gazette-paddy-land-as-rice-selfsufficiency-drops-to-543pc/237394"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "PUTRAJAYA, Oct 2 — State governments have been urged to designate paddy-growing regions to bolster rice production and bolster Malaysia's food security, following a recent decrease in rice self-sufficiency. The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry (KPKM) discussed this matter at the second 2026 Agriculture and Food Security Ministers' Meeting, which brought together state agriculture executives and other stakeholders. The proposal aims to address the decrease in rice-growing areas, which has contributed to the decline in rice self-sufficiency ratio (SSR) from 68% in 2018 to 54.3% in 2025. The 2025 SSR is estimated at 1.416 million metric tonnes of imported rice, worth RM2.953 billion. At the meeting, state governments were also encouraged to participate in Malaysia Fest in Singapore, an annual event since 2006 that promotes Malaysian agro-food products and provides opportunities for local entrepreneurs. The meeting also reviewed the progress of the 13th Malaysia Plan's National Agro-Food Empowerment Programme, which has approved 347 projects worth RM349.15 million from an initial 782 applications totaling RM2.09 billion.",
  "summary": "PUTRAJAYA, Oct 2 — State governments have been urged to gazette paddy-growing areas to sustain rice cultivation an...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "State governments urged to gazette paddy land as rice self‑sufficiency drops to 54.3pc",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/state-governments-urged-to-gazette-paddy-land-as-rice-self",
        "published": "2026-10-02T08:20:57.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}