
Youth involvement in Perlis agricultural sector too low
Mohd Uzir said that based on the findings of the 2024 Agricultural Census in the state, only 399 young people, aged between 15 and 30, are involved in the agricultural sector in Perlis out of a total of 18,839 individuals recorded participating in the sector in the state.
'This is a reality that we need to accept. Indeed, the number of youth involved in agriculture is very low compared to those who are older. But this sector still has great potential if we can attract more young people with the use of technology such as automation and drones,' he said.
He said this to reporters after the launch of the 2024 Perlis Agricultural Census Interim Report here today. The launch was officiated by Perlis Agriculture, Plantation and Consumer Affairs Committee chariman Razali Saad.
Mohd Uzir said that more detailed data from the agricultural census findings could help the state government and related agencies formulate policies, as well as appropriate incentives and more targeted programmes in efforts to address the challenge of attracting young people to the sector.
He said that agricultural technology such as the use of drones, automation, and smart farming systems needs to be intensified to make the sector more appealing to the younger generation.
Meanwhile, Razali said the agricultural sector in Perlis recorded a sales value of RM584.8 million in 2023, with the crop subsector being the largest contributor, recording a sales value of RM276.7 million, followed by the fisheries subsector (RM159.6 million), livestock (RM114.6 million) and aquaculture (RM6.6 million) among others.
'Of the total cultivated area of 58,500 hectares, 95.6 per cent is managed by individuals while the remainder is by corporate agricultural holdings,' he added.
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The Sun
12 hours ago
- The Sun
Youth involvement in Perlis agricultural sector too low
KANGAR: The involvement of young people in the agricultural sector in Perlis is still very low, raising concerns about the sustainability of the sector in the future, said Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin. Mohd Uzir said that based on the findings of the 2024 Agricultural Census in the state, only 399 young people, aged between 15 and 30, are involved in the agricultural sector in Perlis out of a total of 18,839 individuals recorded participating in the sector in the state. 'This is a reality that we need to accept. Indeed, the number of youth involved in agriculture is very low compared to those who are older. But this sector still has great potential if we can attract more young people with the use of technology such as automation and drones,' he said. He said this to reporters after the launch of the 2024 Perlis Agricultural Census Interim Report here today. The launch was officiated by Perlis Agriculture, Plantation and Consumer Affairs Committee chariman Razali Saad. Mohd Uzir said that more detailed data from the agricultural census findings could help the state government and related agencies formulate policies, as well as appropriate incentives and more targeted programmes in efforts to address the challenge of attracting young people to the sector. He said that agricultural technology such as the use of drones, automation, and smart farming systems needs to be intensified to make the sector more appealing to the younger generation. Meanwhile, Razali said the agricultural sector in Perlis recorded a sales value of RM584.8 million in 2023, with the crop subsector being the largest contributor, recording a sales value of RM276.7 million, followed by the fisheries subsector (RM159.6 million), livestock (RM114.6 million) and aquaculture (RM6.6 million) among others. 'Of the total cultivated area of 58,500 hectares, 95.6 per cent is managed by individuals while the remainder is by corporate agricultural holdings,' he added.


The Star
5 days ago
- The Star
Guarded trade outlook seen in 2H25
PETALING JAYA: Economists continue to express cautious optimism on Malaysia's external trade environment, as the Statistics Department's latest release of May's trade figures showed that the export unit value index has nudged down 1.5% year-on-year (y-o-y) to 148 points. Likewise, Malaysia's import unit value index also registered a fall of 1.1% to 124.8 points, while the country's terms of trade (TOT) also declined by 0.5% month-on-month to 118.6 points in May. TOT is defined as the ratio between a country's export prices and its import prices, essentially indicating how much of a country's imports can be purchased with a unit of its exports. A favourable TOT means a country can obtain more imports for the same amount of exports, potentially boosting its economy. Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin pointed out that the decrease in export unit value was primarily driven by the declines in the index of mineral fuels, animal and vegetable oils and fats, as well as machinery and transport equipment. 'Likewise, the export volume index dropped by 3.7% in line with the decrease in the index of mineral fuels, as well as machinery and transport equipment. 'The seasonally adjusted export volume index also dropped by 2.7% to 166.1 points,' he said in a statement yesterday. Senior economist at UOB Julia Goh highlighted that May's external trade numbers had come in weaker than the market's and her expectations, suggesting early signs of normalisation for exports following some front-loading activities. She said the data also affirmed Bank Negara governor Datuk Seri Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour's citation last month that the front-loading of exports will likely normalise in the coming months when the inventories are drawn down and trade flows stabilise. 'However, the weakness of non-electrical and electronic exports particularly across other manufactured goods and the mining sector signal broader weakening trends. 'The fragile cease-fire between Iran and Israel could hold in the near-term, although there is still much uncertainty as a re-escalation could potentially disrupt oil supplies and global supply chains which would weigh on Malaysia's trade,' Goh told StarBiz. Pending clarity on the United States tariffs and geopolitical developments in the Middle East, she is maintaining her export growth forecast for 2025 at 3.8% at the moment. Meanwhile, the Statistic Department also reported that Malaysia's total trade for May amounted to RM252.5bil, with exports and imports recording RM126.6bil and RM125.9bil, respectively. Mohd Uzir revealed that exports had dipped 1.1% y-o-y, attributed to lower exports in most Malaysian states including Johor, Kedah, Sarawak and Kuala Lumpur, although notably Penang, Selangor and Melaka saw an increase in exports. Penang remains the country's top exporter, accounting for 36.2% of exports, while Selangor dominated imports with a share of 29.2%. May's total trade figures show that the trade balance stands at only RM700mil, which economist Geoffrey Williams deemed as 'very tight'. Echoing Goh's views, he acknowledged the presence of significant external volatilities, in addition to the effect from front-loading due to US tariffs. '(Trade) figures for the second quarter were expected to contract sharply and this is what we are seeing. 'The Middle East issues now pose another threat especially if trade routes and supply-chains are disrupted. This will slow down trade and hold back recovery in 2H25,' he said. Nevertheless, Williams reiterated that the more serious issue is not so much the external volatility, but the long-term trend with the trade balance generally declining since August 2023. 'Taking the volatility out it looks like this trend is continuing and this will squeeze growth this year and next year,' he added. On the external front, Asia Pacific economist at credit insurer Coface Nouri Chatillon opined that global economic fragility and increasing trade restrictions are compounded by rising tensions in the Middle East, which is likely to dampen global demand, skewing Malaysia's trade performance outlook negatively going forward. Chatillon said the ceasefire between Israel and Iran had already seen pockets of breaching, although he maintained that further breaches are unlikely to directly and significantly disrupt Malaysia's exports, as the Middle East only accounts for around 3% of Malaysia's total exports. 'However, if Iran were to close the Strait of Hormuz, global energy prices could rise, which could impact global demand and consequently Malaysia's exports. 'Additionally, as Malaysia's oil and natural gas production is not sufficient to meet domestic demand, it relies on imported crude oil and refined petroleum from Middle Eastern countries that use the Strait of Hormuz. 'This could lead to higher energy import prices for Malaysia,' he told StarBiz. Having said that, Chatillon pointed out that despite the Iranian parliament having voted in favour of blockading the Strait of Hormuz, approval from the Supreme National Security Council remains uncertain given the self-damaging economic consequences of such a decision. Meanwhile, despite concurring that Malaysia's external trade in 2H25 is likely to face headwinds from Middle East tensions, particularly through volatile energy prices and supply chain disruptions, an economist with a foreign research firm said growth in import volumes and resilience in key states like Penang and Selangor suggest potential for recovery if global conditions stabilise. She was referring to the Statistics Department's report that the export volume index had edged up by 0.4% y-o-y in May, as import volume index had also increased by 11.8%. 'Diversifying export markets within Asean and leveraging Malaysia's top ranking in the Open Data Inventory 2024/2025 report for data-driven trade strategies could mitigate risks,' said the economist. She added that the ceasefire in the Middle East, if upheld, would likely have a positive impact on Malaysia's external trade by stabilising energy prices, reducing supply chain costs and boosting global demand. Exports, particularly in machinery and transport equipment and palm oil, could see volume recovery, while lower import costs for mineral fuels and industrial inputs would support manufacturing. The economist projected that a truce would reduce disruptions in global shipping routes, lowering costs for Malaysia's trade logistics, while reduced geopolitical risk could boost confidence in Malaysia's key export markets such as China, Singapore, and the United States, supporting export growth in electronics and commodities. 'However, the extent of these benefits depends on the ceasefire's stability and global economic responses,' she cautioned.


The Star
6 days ago
- The Star
Malaysia's PPI declines 3.6% in May 2025
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Producer Price Index (PPI) declined by 3.6 per cent in May 2025, following a 3.4 per cent decrease in April, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM). Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said all sectors recorded year-on-year (y-o-y) declines in May, except for agriculture, forestry, and fishing. The mining sector continued to experience a double-digit decline, down 15 per cent (April 2025: -17.8 per cent) due to significant decreases in the indices of crude petroleum extraction (15.7 per cent) and natural gas extraction (13.1 per cent). "The manufacturing sector declined by 3.0 per cent, after a 2.6 per cent drop in the previous month, dragged down by key subsectors such as manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products (-15.4 per cent) and manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products (-6.9 per cent). "Similarly, the electricity and gas supply sector decreased by 1.1 per cent, while the water supply sector declined marginally by 0.2 per cent," he said in a statement today. On a month-on-month basis, Mohd Uzir said PPI local production went down by 1.1 per cent in May 2025, compared to a 1.0 per cent decrease in April 2025. "The agriculture, forestry and fishing sector declined by 5.4 per cent, due to a significant drop in the growing of perennial crops index (9.1 per cent), while the mining sector also decreased by 2.3 per cent, due to the (fall in the) extraction of crude petroleum index (2.1 per cent). "The manufacturing sector decreased by 0.5 per cent, weighed down by declines in manufacture of coke & refined petroleum products (2.1 per cent) and manufacture of food products (1.1 per cent)," he noted. Looking at selected countries, Malaysia's chief statistician said the PPI of the United States recorded a 2.6 per cent increase and Japan a 3.2 per cent expansion, while China posted a 3.3 per cent decline and Thailand a 3.7 per cent contraction.- Bernama