KUCHING, April 15 — The Malaysia Board of Technologists (MBOT) has been advised to focus on research and development (R&D) activities to increase the agricommodity sector’s production.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk cum Plantation and Commodities Minister Seri Fadillah Yusof said this includes looking at the entire production process of a particular agricultural commodity in order to introduce a faster-automated system.
“Technologists need to be out in the field and meet with industry players and farmers to understand their work processes.
“In that way, they can see for themselves how automation can be introduced in the harvesting process in order to boost productivity,” he told to reporters after attending the Technological Association Malaysia’s national conference here today.
As an example, Fadillah cited the situation faced by the country’s natural rubber (NR) industry, which has fallen to eighth place globally due to the decline in output.
He added that automation is among the initiatives that can be implemented to improve NR production.
“While our NR output has declined, we remain in first place in terms of production of rubber goods such as gloves,” Fadillah said.
— Bernama
