PUTRAJAYA (Jan 14): The National Agro-Food Policy (NAFP) for the 2021-2030 period is being formulated to replace the National Commodity Policy (NCP) 2011-2020 in a bid to make the sector more sustainable, competitive and market-oriented, says Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok Suh Sim.

She said her ministry will hold a retreat in February to get proposals from industry players as well as oli palm, rubber, cocoa, pepper and kenaf smallholders.

"The session will be a platform to refine the strategies, targets and action plans under the Twelfth Malaysia Plan (12MP), as well as review the ministry’s achievements during the 10 years of the implementation of the NCP,” she said at a ministry assembly here on Tuesday.

To ensure the agro-commodity sector continues to enhance the country’s economy and benefit all stakeholders, Kok said the NAFP should be formulated in line with Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 (WKB2030).

She said 2020 is a challenging year for the ministry to ensure all projects and programmes planned under the NCP and 11MP achieve their targets.

An allocation of RM670.12 million under Budget 2020 to the ministry including RM410.6 million as development expenditure for the implementation of 77 projects, should be wisely spent and managed to ensure the programmes are implemented according to plan, she said.

"The ministry and its agencies have well-ordered plans to ensure all projects that have been planned are implemented according to schedule and the allocation approved by the government,” she added.