PUTRAJAYA, Oct 7 — Exploring the potential cooperation between Malaysia and Brunei in shrimp farming, agricultural research and development as well as the export of livestock products were among the matters discussed during the courtesy call of Brunei’s Primary Resources and Tourism Minister Datuk Dr Awang Manaf Metussin on the of Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu.
The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry (KPKM) in a statement tonight said that Mohamad also received a courtesy call from Cambodia’s Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Dith Tina, during the 45th Asean Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry Meeting (AMAF) which took place in Kuala Lumpur from Oct 2 – 6.
According to KPKM, Cambodia has invited Malaysia to invest in agriculture and promoted rice from Cambodia to be exported to this country.
“The meetings –– were the first with Mohamad’s two counterparts, aimed at strengthening trade cooperation in the agricultural sector,” read the statement.
For the record, agricultural trade between Malaysia and Brunei in 2022 totalled RM1.05 billion, while agricultural trade between Malaysia and Cambodia recorded an increase of 17 per cent in 2022 with RM452.8 million, compared with RM375 million in 2021.
Malaysia hosted the 45th AMAF, in an effort to strengthen Asean’s position as the ‘world’s food basket’ besides fostering closer cooperation among member countries to preserve food security in the region.
This was the third time Malaysia has hosted the AMAF, with the other two being in 2003 and 2013.
Themed ‘Growing Together: Advancing Asean Agriculture And Forestry For Sustainable Development’, the 45th AMAF was attended by Asean member countries Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam; and also participated by China, Japan and South Korea.
— Bwenama
