Kuala lumpur: Efforts to strengthen local onion seed production by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) are expected to reduce the country's dependence on onion imports by about RM300 million and help achieve a Self-Sufficiency Rate (SSR) of 30 per cent by 2030. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Chan Foong Hin stated that the development of local onion varieties, such as BAW1, BAW2, and BAW3, would create opportunities to expand the domestic onion industry while strengthening national food security.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Malaysia currently imports 100 per cent of its onions from India, and efforts to develop local onion seeds are being implemented by MARDI in Perak, Sabah, and Kelantan. Chan shared this information with reporters after the Agro-Food Seminar organised by MARDI at the Parliament Building.

Earlier, Chan highlighted MARDI's achievement in producing 59 padi varieties, including MR297, which was introduced in 2016 and is now cultivated across more than 60 per cent of the country's padi granary areas. He noted the significant economic impact of this variety on the padi industry, with an estimated value of RM1.66 billion.

Efforts to enhance productivity in the padi sector are ongoing with the introduction of the MR333 (Menora) variety, launched last year to boost production capacity and strengthen industry competitiveness. In the livestock sector, Chan mentioned that Saga chickens, developed through MARDI's breeding technology, are expected to support efforts to increase the population of 'ayam kampung' from four per cent to 10 per cent by 2040.

Chan also discussed MARDI's development of local hybrid corn seeds, which have the potential to reduce Malaysia's reliance on imported corn seeds valued at more than RM3 billion annually. This initiative aims to meet the demand of about 2.5 million metric tonnes, reduce import dependence, stabilise production costs, and strengthen the supply chain of the country's livestock industry.

Meanwhile, regarding the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board's proposal to designate pineapple as the national fruit, Chan stated that the ministry is still studying the proposal.