By Norrasyidah Arshad
AMPANG, Dec 26 — The Selangor Agricultural Transformation Plan (PeTA), implemented to ensure food security, will prioritise modern and high-value agriculture projects throughout next year.
State executive councillor for infrastructure and agriculture Dato’ Izham Hashim said the plan, currently in the final phase of its first stage, emphasises agricultural products with strong market demand to boost farmers’ incomes.
“PeTA Phase One will be completed next year before we continue its momentum into Phase Two. Thus, next year, we will focus on high-value agriculture such as Selangor Melons (MeloSel), vanilla, and onions.
“We aim to ensure these products are consistently available in the market. We have advanced technology, so we will explore further to maintain demand. So far, we see Phase One of PeTA as a success, and we will build on this achievement,” he said.
Speaking at the handover ceremony for the Urban Farming and Community Garden programme aid at Kampung Pandan Dalam, Ampang Jaya today, Izham added that Phase Two of PeTA, beginning in 2026, will focus on breeding and seed development.
Key initiatives include rearing Barbados Blackbelly sheep, lobster farming, and onion cultivation.
“This effort will ensure the continuity of the food supply chain as we face challenges in this aspiration. For instance, we cannot rear goats because we lack the breeding stock, and the same issue applies to lobsters.
“We have attempted expansion but lack seeds. Therefore, we will focus on this aspect. Similarly, we aim to enhance the quality of onions, starting from the seedlings,” he said.
Launched in 2022, PeTA emphasises five key pillars to secure the food supply for the people: high-value agriculture, modern farming, a complete food supply chain, agropreneur development, and agro-tourism.
The initiative also aligns with the National Food Security Policy Action Plan 2021–2025 to increase agricultural output.
