MELAKA Nov 28 — The Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) has commercialised about 17 per cent or 57 of the 338 technologies it generated to 40 companies during the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP).
Agriculture and Food Industries Deputy Minister I Datuk Seri Ahmad Hamzah said the commercialisation of the technology involved a business value of RM171.9 million with a technology value of worth RM15.9 million.
“Mardi plays a major role in elevating the agricultural sector and contributing to the country’s economic development through continuous research, and one of them is to develop technology or innovation to transfer or for use to solve problems of the target group.
“One of the platforms created to realise this is through the Agroinvest Programme which has been implemented since 2016,” he told reporters after officiating the Mardi 2021 Agroinvest Programme, themed ‘Evolution of Healthy Eating for Malaysian Families’ here today.
Also present were Agriculture and Food Industries Ministry secretary-general Datuk Haslina Abdul Hamid and Mardi director-general Datuk Dr Mohamad Zabawi Abdul Ghani.
Ahmad said through the Mardi Agroinvest Programme, a total of 50 technologies were offered for bid to 252 companies out of which 88 companies had shown interest in acquiring the technology and some of them had signed commercialisation agreements with Mardi through licensing, direct sales and consultancy services.
“As a result, every year Mardi gets an average return of more than RM1.4 million through licensing fees, management, direct sales and consultancy services,” he added.
Meanwhile, at the Agroinvest Mardi 2021 held today, where 23 food and beverage based technologies were offered, it attracted 130 participants comprising companies, entrepreneurs and industry partners.
In another development, Ahmad gave an assurance of sufficient food supply, especially vegetables, despite the reports on the increase in price of vegetables imported from China such as cabbage and broccoli.
“The increase in the price of these vegetables was detected since last month,” he said and attributed it to the cold weather in the producing countries which affected production.
However, he said, the price would be stable again by end of the year and advised consumers to buy local vegetables. — Bernama
