MAHA 2024 RECORDS RM41 MILLION IN SALES, 5 MILLION VISITORS - MOHAMAD

SERDANG, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- The Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism (MAHA) 2024 exhibition, which concludes today after a 12-day run, has recorded direct sales totalling more than RM41 million as of this morning.

Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said MAHA 2024, held at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS), also saw the signing of 139 Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) and Memoranda of Agreement (MoA) worth RM7.2 billion.

"In addition, Agrobank has recorded potential financing and business matching totalling RM1.38 billion," he said when speaking at the event’s closing ceremony here today.

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Mohamad said that the centennial MAHA, which began on Sept 11, also attracted five million visitors as of noon today, surpassing the initial target of three million visitors.

He said among the unique aspects of this year's event was the introduction of MAHA Go Global, an initiative aimed at expanding and promoting Malaysian agricultural products to the global market and vice versa.

"More than 9,500 trade visitors and 150 exhibitors from around the world participated in this year’s MAHA," he said.

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Elaborating further, Mohamad said three major conferences were held under the MAHA Go Global platform, namely the 2nd Annual Food Security Asia Congress, the Trade Export Conference (TEX Talk), and the MADANI Agropreneur Gathering and Declaration Convention 2024.

These conferences brought together experts, including prominent industry figures from countries such as South Korea, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Indonesia, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, China, New Zealand, and Italy.

He added that MAHA 2024 also showed an increase in the sales of seedlings, saplings, and livestock, which he described as a positive indicator of the growing public interest in agriculture, as well as increasing awareness of the importance of food security for the country.

"These numbers are not merely statistics; they reflect that MAHA continues to be a premier national event, capturing widespread attention. It also solidifies its role as a leading platform for driving innovation, education, and business opportunities, while building a competitive, sustainable agricultural sector ready for the future," he said.

Mohamad also expressed his appreciation for the involvement of the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development, which for the first time featured 170 rural entrepreneurs to promote their products in various categories, including food and beverages, beauty, health, and handicrafts.

Summing up the success of MAHA 2024, Mohamad hoped it would have a significant positive impact on local farmers and agrofood entrepreneurs.

"With the exhibition of the latest innovations, farmers have the opportunity to acquire new knowledge and technologies that can enhance their agricultural yields.

"I believe MAHA 2024 has also become an ideal platform for promoting local products to consumers, while small and medium enterprises can expand their business networks through collaborations with various agencies and companies," he said.

Offering advice to the younger generation, Mohamad expressed confidence that MAHA had changed perceptions of the agricultural sector and urged them to continue exploring agriculture as a promising career with great potential to transform their lives and their families' futures.

-- BERNAMA