KLUANG, April 8 — The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (Mafi) is encouraging the farming community to use the latest technology such as e-commerce platform to market their produce online.

Minister Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee said the move was important as the use of technology had been proven to increase sales.

Citing an example, he said Mafi recorded more than RM300 million in agricultural sales revenue through the three e-commerce platforms developed since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country a year ago.

He said the platforms were Agro Bazaar Online, Nekmatbiz and e-peladang which were operated by the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority, National Fishermen’s Association (Nekmat), and Farmers’ Organisation Authority (LPP), respectively.

"So, we’ve seen online business during the Covid-19 pandemic as an effective sales and marketing tool or alternative.

"We hope such platform will continue to be used by consumers or organisations such as the Area Farmers’ Organisation to promote the purchase or sale of their agricultural products.

"At the same time, we also do not prevent the private sector (farming community) from developing their own e-commerce platform for the same purpose,” he said after officiating the national level Peladang Outlet at the Kluang Area Farmers’ Organisation’s Agricultural Product Collection Centre here today.

Ronald was commenting on whether Mafi plans to develop its own online application to facilitate the marketing and sale of agricultural products in the country.

Present were Johor Agriculture, Agro-based Industry and Rural Development Committee chairman Datuk Samsolbari Jamali, LPP chairman Dr Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh, and LPP director-general Datuk Azulita Salim. — Bernama