KUALA LUMPUR: Less than one percent of the country’s large-scale planters or farmers practice organic farming of Malaysia produce, the Dewan Negara was told today.

Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said on that basis his ministry together with the private sector and non-government bodies are now taking an aggressive approach in promoting organic farming practices to local industry players.

“Currently we are emphasizing through two terraces, firstly expanding the promotion in the domestic market for special premium products such as organic produce and nutritious food to support the development of production of such products in the market.

 “Secondly, we will increase the adoption of food standards among food producers including myGAP (Malaysia Good Agricultural Practices) and myOrganic, with every organic nutritional ingredient needing to pass these two bodies,” he said.

He said so at an oral question-and-answer session in response to Senator Susan Chemerai Anding’s question which asked the ministry to state what steps were being taken to promote organic farming practices in the country.

Mohamad said myGAP is also responsible for certifying products before they can be recognized and marketed as organic.

“The myGAP approval is one, but at the ministry level we also monitor the goods in the market and people can bring them to us for them to check the validity of the organic products.

“Because as I said earlier, less than one percent of organic farming practices in our country but in terms of products in the market so many parties claim are organic,” he said.

He said so to answer the additional question of Senator Datuk Dr Dominic Lau Hoe Chai who wanted to know how to users know for sure the authenticity of an organic product found in the market.

Source: astroawani.com