PUTRAJAYA, Oct 15 (Bernama) -- Early preparations for the 2028 Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism (MAHA) Exhibition will begin in January 2027, incorporating proposed improvements from post-evaluation sessions to ensure government expenditures yield commensurate returns.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said the readiness of the MAHA venue must also be improved to ensure the facilities operate optimally.
"Cooperation between agricultural agencies and other ministries, state governments, industry players, stakeholders, and international partners must also be expanded to ensure the benefits of hosting MAHA are felt more widely and contribute to the development of the national agro-food sector," he said.
Mohamad was speaking at the MAHA 2026 Appreciation Ceremony today, which gathered those who contributed to the success of the event held from Aug 28 to Sept 6.
MAHA 2026 recorded an attendance of over five million visitors and generated sales exceeding RM73 million. It also saw the signing of 97 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth over RM10.35 billion, surpassing set targets.
Mohamad said the involvement of two million youth throughout MAHA 2026 was a positive indicator for the future of the national agro-food sector.
"Youth entrepreneurship and industry-led mentoring programmes introduced during the exhibition must be continued to encourage the participation of young people in the sector," he said.
On international trade, Mohamad said Malaysia needs to strengthen agricultural ties with African countries and explore broader cooperation with Central Asian nations.
He said efforts to increase the use of local food products for both domestic consumption and the export market remained a government priority.
The country's food exports grew by over RM5 billion in 2024 and continue to show positive momentum, he noted, although food imports and raw materials for food production still exceeded RM90 billion.
He urged relevant agencies to enhance their capabilities in research, marketing, and commercialisation to boost the competitiveness of local agricultural products.
These agencies include the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA), Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA), and the National Farmers Organisation (NAFAS).
Mohamad said the government would continuously seek to increase allocations to support the needs of these agencies, particularly for research that yields long-term economic benefits.
He added that successfully commercialised research findings could generate long-term profits and help increase the country's agricultural and food exports.
-- BERNAMA