NAFAS To Leverage Malaysia-Australia Cooperation To Secure Fertiliser Supply Chain

KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 (Bernama) -- The National Farmers Organisation (NAFAS) will keep working with the government and industry leaders to leverage Malaysia-Australia cooperation, secure the fertiliser supply chain and boost national food security.

In a statement today, NAFAS welcomed the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security's (KPKM) announcement following recent talks between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, to strengthen bilateral cooperation and ensure stable agricultural input supplies.

NAFAS said G2G (government-to-government) cooperation is a significant step toward securing critical raw material for the fertiliser industry amid global supply chain uncertainties and the ongoing energy crisis, which directly impacts agriculture and food production.

"As the agency responsible for fertiliser supply to the agricultural sector, NAFAS prioritises stable raw materials like CIRP (Christmas Island Rock Phosphate) to ensure continuous and efficient domestic fertiliser production.

"The national annual requirement for CIRP is estimated at 65,000 metric tonnes, mainly for producing compound fertilisers under the subsidised input scheme for nearly 200,000 padI farmers nationwide, depending on seasonal crop needs and agricultural demand," the statement read.

CIRP is a key component in compound fertiliser production, particularly to support the padi sector, the backbone of national rice supply security.

Malaysia also has an edge in nitrogen-based fertiliser production, with its main urea supply sourced from Petronas through strong domestic capacity.

"This complementary approach between Malaysia and Australia covers the entire fertiliser value chain, from raw materials to downstream products," the statement added.

NAFAS said supply guarantees from this strategic cooperation will reduce disruption risks, support local fertiliser production stability and ensure continuity of national rice output.

Guaranteed access to these critical raw materials will also sustain domestic fertiliser production, boosting padi farmer productivity and national rice supply stability.

"This cooperation will strengthen the agricultural sector's resilience and keep critical input supplies stable amid growing global challenges," the statement concluded.

-- BERNAMA