JOHOR BAHRU: The Cooperatives Commission of Malaysia (SKM) is encouraging cooperatives under its purview to venture into the agriculture and agro-based industry sector to ensure the country’s food supply is always sufficient.
Its deputy executive chairman (policy and development), Amran Abd Kadir said each year the government provides a large allocation of funds to the commission to carry out activities in the sector.
“Through Budget 2024, SKM was given an allocation of RM100 million for cooperatives to carry out activities in the agriculture and agro-based industry sector, and we are adding another RM100 million this year...so combined it is an almost RM200 million (allocation) but RM100 million will be kept aside for cooperatives to carry out the activities,“ he said at a press conference after the 2023 Johor Cooperatives Awards ceremony here today.
“This shows how serious the government is in the issue of food supply, and this sector is among the ways to increase the public’s income.”
The awards ceremony was officiated by State Youth, Sports, Entrepreneurial Development, Cooperatives and Human Resources Committee chairman Mohd Hairi Mad Shah.
Meanwhile, Mohd Hairi said currently a total of 1,462 cooperatives, comprising more than 460,000 people, have been registered in Johor.
“From 2016 to now, the Johor government has approved an allocation of RM6.6 million to finance various programmes including the Bantuan Prihatin Koperasi of RM1.5 million to help cooperatives recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Some 299 small and micro cluster cooperatives enjoyed this last year.-Bernama
