Perak Agricultural Census 22.3 Pct Complete - DOSM

PARIT, Aug 5 (Bernama) -- The Malaysia Statistics Department (DOSM) has completed 22.3 percent of the agricultural census in Perak involving 14,104 residential units covering the subsectors of crops, livestock, fisheries, aquaculture, and forestry and logging between July 7 and Aug 2.

Chief Statistician of Malaysia and Commissioner of the 2024 Agricultural Census, Datuk Seri Dr. Mohd Uzir Mahidin, stated that the districts with the highest census completion rates were Kampar at 44.9%, followed by Selama at 34.8%, Kerian at 34.3%, Muallim at 28.4%, Hilir Perak at 22.7%, and Bagan Datuk at 22.5%.

"In Perak, the census will cover 67,459 residential units and 2,479 establishments or business entities involved in agricultural activities from July 7 to Oct 10.

"There are 257 enumerators deployed for households and 14 enumerators for establishments engaged in crops, livestock, fisheries, aquaculture, and forestry and logging," he said.

He was speaking to the media during a working visit to the 2024 Agricultural Census field at the Crops and Livestock Integration Centre at the Permanent Food Production Park, Titi Gantung here today.

Previously, the DOSM estimated that over 1.3 million households or individuals are engaged in agriculture nationwide, alongside nearly 20,000 registered organisations, institutions, co-operatives, and associations.

Therefore, this census is crucial for gathering data to identify the challenges faced by the sector and to help the government assess food supply stability to meet domestic needs and reduce dependence on imports.

Dr. Mohd Uzir stated that approximately 15 percent of Perak’s revenue comes from the agricultural sector.

"From our perspective, this percentage is quite significant and proves that the Perak state government, through its planning and systems, can generate income from this sector," he said.

He emphasised that the census benefits not only the government but also provides valuable insights for industry players and stakeholders, helping them identify opportunities to maximise income.

"This was also highlighted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security during previous engagement sessions.

"The ministry wants this data to be made available so that stakeholders can identify opportunities to expand their businesses and attract new players into the agricultural sector," he added.

-- BERNAMA