MELAKA, March 18 (Bernama) -- A total of 60.7 tonnes of surplus food, valued at an estimated RM726,000 was saved from being discarded through the MySaveFood Programme during Ramadan last year.
Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) chief executive officer Khalid Mohamed said the initiative was carried out at 149 Ramadan bazaars in Perlis, Kedah, Pahang, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Johor and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur.
He said the surplus food saved involved unsold food by the Ramadan bazaar traders which was then distributed to various parties including students at institutions of higher learning, surau, mosques and housing estates.
"This year, we anticipate saving a similar amount of food as last year. In Melaka alone, within just a few days, 4.8 tonnes of surplus food and beverages have already been salvaged from being disposed of.
"The surplus food and beverages will be distributed to the needy, helping to reduce waste,” he told reporters after the Ramadan MySaveFood Programme at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC) Ramadan Bazaar here last night.
Also present were SWCorp deputy chief executive officer (Technical) Zulkifli Tamby Chik and its Melaka director Nor Zaki Md Nor.
Khalid highlighted that the MySaveFood Ramadan Programme not only helps prevent food waste but also reduces the volume of solid waste sent to landfills in the participating states.
"Overall, we found that the amount of waste disposed of at landfills in the seven states involved has decreased by 2.7 per cent during Ramadan compared to other months.
"This reduction demonstrates the success of the Ramadan MySaveFood Programme in minimising waste while benefiting both traders and recipients of the surplus food," he said.
Meanwhile, he said that in Melaka alone, the average daily surplus food and beverages saved at the four Ramadan bazaars involved, namely MITC, Peringgit, Jasin Bestari and Alor Gajah, is 600 kilogrammes (kg) per day.
He said that a total of 5,304 kg of food and beverages were saved at the four Ramadan bazaars since the programme was carried out last March 10.
-- BERNAMA
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