Malaysia hopes to halt import of food products by 2050: Ahmad Zahid

SERDANG: Malaysia is targeting to halt its import of food products by the year 2050, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
He said the Transformasi Nasional 2050 (TN50) masterplan is set to place Malaysia as a food exporter by 2050, instead of relying on its food products from foreign nations.
"When the TN50 is launched in 2050, we hope Malaysia does not need to import anymore food products," he said.
"Malaysia, which is expected to have a population of 50 million people, will be able to produce enough food for our consumption and be able to export our products overseas with the best quality and technology," he said in his speech at the closing ceremony of the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism (Maha) 2016 exhibition at Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang.
Also present at the ceremony was Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.
The TN50 is a futuristic policy for Malaysia's roadmap in the next 30 years after 2020, annouced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak during the 2017 budget tabling.
Ahmad Zahid, who earlier visited several attractions in the exhibition, said he was shocked by the number of visitors coming to Maha, which was opened since Dec 1.
"So far, a total of 3.4 million visitors has come to Maha 2016. I am confident that the number will rise to 3.8 million visitors at the end of the exhibition," he said.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid also called for the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry to become a catalyst in stabilising the price of food products and daily necessities.
Ahmad Zahid added initiatives such as the MyFarm Outlet and Agro Bazaar Rakyat 1Malaysia should be expanded in assisting the rakyat to reduce their cost of living.