Ismail Sabri (second left) visits a bee farm ventured by a young agropreneur during the event. — Bernama photo
ROMPIN: The Young Agropreneur Tour in rural areas will be enhanced to encourage the young to venture into the agriculture business to reduce the country’s dependence on imported products by 2020.
Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the country spends billions of ringgit each year to import agricultural products to meet demand of the domestic market.
“If now we import 30 per cent of rice, we do not want to import rice by 2020. We also want to reduce beef import from 70 per cent to 50 per cent,” he told reporters after launching Rompin Young Agropreneur Tour in Bandar Tun Abdul Razak yesterday.
Ismail said via the programme, the young will be exposed about the importance of agriculture as a sector that promises high income.
The programme provides young entrepreurs with loans and grants of RM10,000.
Since Jan, the ministry has spent RM20 million on 337 young agropreneurs nationwide in sectors such as plantation (RM5.11 million), livestock (RM4.93 million), fisheries (RM3.57 million) and agro-based industries (RM6.39 million).
“We want more knowledgeable young entrepreneurs to ensure that they are more competitive to grow the business to a higher level,” he said, expecting an increase of 15 per cent young entrepreneurs in the tour prog ramme. — Bernama