THE Government is taking a major step to curb food loss across the supply chain with the development of a Food Balance Sheet, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu revealed in Parliament on Tuesday.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) in collaboration with the ministries of Agriculture and Food Security and Housing and Local Government, will be guided by the Food Loss Index and Food Waste Index.
“This Food Balance Sheet will allow us to measure the level of food loss and waste throughout the food supply chain.
“It ensures food waste management in the agri-food sector can be carried out more systematically and effectively,” the minister stated in response to Balik Pulau MP Datuk Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik, who had inquired about strategies to reduce food waste in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Mohamad noted that the government had already rolled out a series of initiatives under the National Agri-Food Policy 2021–2030 aimed at minimising post-harvest losses and food wastage.
Central to these measures is the adoption of post-harvest technologies designed to extend the shelf life and preserve the quality of crops.
“We are extending the shelf life and maintaining the quality of food crops through freezing techniques, bulk storage, improved packaging and surface coatings.
“We also emphasise cost-effective storage technology to reduce rising storage costs, and we use cold chain technologies from fish landing sites to consumers, including Individual Quick Freezing and insulated fish boxes to cut post-harvest losses,” he explained.
Sustainable fisheries management forms another cornerstone of the ministry’s strategy. “We manage our fisheries resources based on an ecosystem approach by strengthening fisheries conservation zones, building artificial reefs and rehabilitating habitats such as mangrove replanting to improve fish stocks and reduce losses,” Mohamad said.
He added that surplus fish are being repurposed into value-added products including surimi, animal feed, and organic fertilisers, while controlled catches, selective fishing gear, and modern e-licensing and e-logbooks ensure transparency and sustainability.
The ministry is also promoting precision feeding and advanced aquaculture systems such as recirculating aquaculture, super-intensive farming, and biofloc technology to minimise waste and environmental impact.
Mohamad further noted that Malaysia continues to collaborate with the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute and the Food and Agriculture Organisation to identify critical points of food loss across the supply chain, reinforcing the government’s commitment to sustainable food production and efficient resource use. - November 26, 2025
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