SABAK BERNAM, 20 Dec: Selangor has managed to become the highest contributor for the country’s agricultural produce when it produced 42.7 percent, or RM32 million, of the total agricultural produce in the country.
In addition, Selangor is also leading in the country’s rice production when it recorded an average paddy yield of 6.4 million tonnes a year with an area of 19,857.47 hectares of rice cultivation area compared to the national paddy production of 4.4 tonnes a year.
The Chief Minister, Mohamed Azmin Ali, said that this success was due to the hard work of farmers, in addition to the use of modern technology with guidance from the relevant departments.
“Although Selangor has limited land in the agricultural sector, we have proven that results and high performance can be achieved by maximising every available space with the use of all the latest technologies and innovations.
“We need to emulate the Netherlands, a country that is smaller than Pahang which managed to become the second largest country in the agricultural sector. It is not impossible for Selangor to be a leader in this sector in the Asian region if effort towards that direction is pooled with earnestness from all parties involved,” said Mohamed Azmin.
He said this during the opening of the Selangor Agrofest 2014 at the Sungai Besar Stadium.
Also present was the Exco for Agro-Based Industries, Zaidy Abdul Talib, and the State Government Deputy Secretary (Development), Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman.
Elaborating, Mohamed Azmin said that for 2015, the state government has allocated RM14.47 million for the development of the agricultural sector, while RM15.3 million is specifically for the development of fishermen and farmers.
“The state government is concerned about the development of the agricultural sector in the state and we hope with such support, the state agricultural GDP, which is around 2 percent, can be increased to 2.5 percent in the next five years,” he said.
During the same event, Mohamed Azmin also presented prizes to the recipients for the Selangor 2014 farmers, breeders and fishermen awards.
The winner for the category of livestock entrepreneurs, aquaculture entrepreneurs, crop entrepreneurs and agro-based industry entrepreneurs each took home a cash prize of RM5,000, followed by RM4,000 for second place and RM3,000 for third place, each accompanied with a trophy and a certificate of appreciation.
Meanwhile, MJ Fatonah Group from Kampung Teluk Penyamun, Bestari Jaya, was named the winner of the Selangor Agrofest 2014 Special Award by taking home a cash prize of RM5,000, a trophy and a certificate of appreciation.
The Selangor Agrofest 2014 which was held for the fourth time since 2011 is an annual event which brings together agricultural, livestock, aquaculture and agro-based industry product exhibition booths, as well as others that are linked with agriculture.
In addition to a livestock exhibition, the exhibition of a Balaenoptera Borealis while fossil, which was found stranded in Pulau Carey in 2005, is expected to steal the attention of visitors at the programme which is taking place from the 18 to 22 December.
NS
