DOSM Surpasses Target, Achieves 105 Pct In Agriculture Census

LANGKAWI, Oct 11 (Bernama) -- The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) successfully attained 105 per cent result from the implementation of the Agriculture Census which began on July 7 and concluded yesterday.

Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the result of the census will serve as the foundation for the preparation of food security indicators and the development of the Malaysia Statistical   Agriculture Register (MySAgR).

"The main objective of the census is to obtain a comprehensive structure and characteristics of the agriculture sector in terms of agricultural holdings. It provides the overall picture of the nation’s agriculture sector, covering four main subsectors: crops, livestock, fisheries and aquaculture, as well as forestry and logging.

"The last time this census was conducted was in 2005. At the initial stage, there were 1,197,309 agricultural holdings, comprising 1,177,556 (98.4 per cent) households and 19,753 (1.6 per cent) active business entities," he said after a fieldwork visit to the mopping-up operation for the 2024 Agriculture Census here, today.

He said the census concluded with the identification of a total of 1,256,593 cases, representing 105 per cent of the expected number of cases, with an additional 59,284 new agricultural holdings discovered compared to the original list before the census commenced.

"Although the fieldwork for the census has ended, mopping-up operations will be carried out over the next two weeks, starting today until October 24. We will work closely with the agriculture agencies involved and visit 162 districts across the country to verify and confirm the census figures.

"After this, we will develop the agriculture sector’s database system which will integrate subsectors like fisheries, livestock, and forestry into one system to facilitate the implementation of future programmes," he said.

Mohd Uzir added that he wanted to ensure that the Agriculture Census does not conclude in the census year but the figures should continue to be updated on an ongoing basis.

"As such, we have discussed with all the agriculture agencies two weeks ago, and this will be followed by data collection through surveys and sampling, which will allow for periodic updates and assist in all related aspects," he said.

Commenting further on the Agriculture Census in Kedah, he said the operation achieved 105.8 per cent with an additional 4,719 new cases compared to the original list of 81,780 households.

"In terms of business growth, all 1,124 organisations involved in agricultural activities have been visited, with Langkawi recording the highest rate at 152.3 per cent, followed by Kuala Muda (128.9 per cent) and Kulim (114.8 per cent)," he said.

He also thanked everyone involved in making the census a success, and urged agricultural holdings that have not been covered to contact the DOSM office during the 'mopping-up' period for further action.

-- BERNAMA