PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has officially received approval to export fresh coconuts to China following a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two countries on Wednesday (April 16), held in conjunction with Chinese President Xi Jinping's three-day state visit to Malaysia.
In a statement on Thursday (April 17), Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said the approval resulted from dedicated efforts and continuous negotiations between Malaysia and China to strengthen their long-standing trade ties.
"Yesterday marked a historic moment for the country's agriculture sector with the exchange of an MoU between Malaysia and China through the Protocol of Phytosanitary Requirements between China's General Administration of Customs (GACC) and Malaysia's Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) for the export of fresh coconuts from Malaysia to China," he said.
Mohamad said the signing of the Protocol on Phytosanitary Requirements for the Export of Fresh Coconuts from Malaysia to China between KPKM and GACC was key to ensuring the marketability and competitiveness of Malaysian coconuts in China.
"It will also strengthen the local coconut industry by encouraging good and systematic agricultural practices among local growers, while demonstrating the government's commitment to enhancing food security and increasing the nation's agricultural export earnings," he said.
Mohamad added that the government would continue to ensure local agricultural produce secures a place in international markets, enabling the people to generate higher incomes and contribute to national economic growth.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Xi witnessed the exchange of 31 MoUs and documents covering various sectors of cooperation between the two countries.
Among the highlights was an MoU between the Malaysian government and China's Xinhua News Agency in the field of news and information.
Xi's visit, which began on Tuesday (April 15), was at the invitation of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia. – Bernama
