Malaysia sets goal of full fresh milk self-sufficiency by 2028, says Mohamad Sabu
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 — Malaysia is aiming to achieve complete self-sufficiency in fresh milk production by 2028 through a series of targeted initiatives designed to strengthen the country’s dairy industry, said Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu.
He said the plan is part of the government’s broader effort to expand domestic production and reduce reliance on imported dairy products.
According to him, the National Dairy Industry Development Programme implemented between 2021 and 2025 has successfully met its production target, generating 20 million litres of fresh milk.
He noted that the programme’s success reflects the effectiveness of the strategies introduced to develop the sector.
“The fresh milk self-sufficiency ratio has shown steady improvement in recent years.
“It increased from 56.7 per cent in 2021 to 57.3 per cent in 2022, before rising significantly to 66.8 per cent in 2023,” he said in Parliament.
However, he said the figure declined slightly to 66.7 per cent in 2024, mainly due to reduced participation from small-scale farmers.
To ensure the country reaches full self-sufficiency, the ministry will implement a dairy strengthening project under the 13th Malaysia Plan.
Mohamad said the initiative will involve a RM30 million allocation to increase livestock numbers and introduce modern farming technology.
These measures are expected to improve efficiency and overall production capacity.
At the same time, the government is addressing rising livestock feed costs, which have affected milk production expenses.
Plans include developing over 136,000 hectares of land for feed production, which is expected to produce up to 1.25 million tonnes annually.
Research is also being carried out to develop improved maize varieties and identify alternative local feed sources such as palm kernel by-products, soybean residue, and moringa leaves.
These efforts aim to reduce dependence on imported feed and lower operational costs.
In addition, the government plans to launch public awareness campaigns to encourage Malaysians to consume locally produced fresh milk.
The campaign will highlight the nutritional benefits of natural milk and promote healthier consumption habits.
Mohamad said these combined efforts are expected to strengthen the domestic dairy industry and ensure sufficient supply for national needs in the future.
-wilayah.com.my
