KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will need more than three million cattle by 2040 to meet domestic meat and dairy supply needs, says Agriculture and Food Security Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Isham Ishak.
He said the ministry’s long-term plans for the industry include incorporating modern technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) and drones to increase productivity.
"From 2021 to 2025, we see the contribution of this sector is quite large and we foresee the self-sufficiency ratio (SSR) reaching 50% by 2030.
“There are about 886,000 heads of cattle now, but we need three million to achieve food security in this sector,” he said on Bernama TV, Monday (Dec 15).
He said various initiatives including breeding programmes, cattle importation and feedlot schemes are being implemented to achieve this goal.
Isham added that to support the poultry and ruminant farming industries sustainably, the ministry is also focusing on developing the grain corn sector, especially to reduce dependence on imported livestock feed.
He said that previously Malaysia imported 100% of the needed grain corn, but this year the country has begun planting with a production target of approximately 1.25 million tonnes per year for animal feed.
Isham said the approach was in line with the country's food security agenda which required long-term innovation-based planning through cooperation with foreign countries, including in the exchange of technology and agricultural practices, as well as ensuring the supply chain.
He said the use of AI in aquaculture and drone applications in agricultural activities could optimise input use, reduce dependence on labour, increase production efficiency, and support the agro-food sector’s sustainability.
Meanwhile, he said the fisheries sector remained an important contributor to the country's economy with a contribution of around RM9.18bil to gross domestic product (GDP) in the third quarter of this year, despite facing various challenges including weather factors and the monsoon season.
Regarding Budget 2026, Isham said the allocation provided by the government reflected the government's continued commitment to the agricultural sector as a strategic sector.
"Agricultural subsidies are very important to stabilise food prices, guarantee supply and ensure the survival of farmers, padi farmers and fishermen," he said.
Through Budget 2026, the government has allocated RM6.87bil to the agriculture sector, a 7% increase compared to the previous year, as an effort to strengthen the country's food security agenda in the face of climate change challenges and global supply chain disruptions.
In addition, RM2.63bil has been allocated for various subsidies including padi price subsidies, padi crop subsidies, fertiliser subsidies, seed subsidies and padi production incentives as well as assistance to rice farmers, thus recording the highest agricultural subsidy in history.
Isham said the involvement of youth in the agriculture sector was important to ensure the continuity of the country's food security agenda, given that the majority of agricultural entrepreneurs are now over 60 years old.
He said that through various grant schemes and entrepreneurial support, almost 4,000 agri-entrepreneurs had been established, with more than 30% earning more than RM5,000 per month.
Meanwhile, he said the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Exhibition (Maha) 2026 will be used as a platform to attract investments, foster strategic collaborations and introduce value-added agricultural technologies to strengthen the country's agricultural ecosystem. - Bernama
