IM PLIC ATION S OF THE C OVID-19 ON THE AGRIC ULTURAL
PRODUC TION IN M ALAYS IA
THE IM PLICATION S
Wong Sing Yun
Charlene Saini @ Lormin Fenella Elish
N ur Z izie Z aithy binti Johnny S arah Remina Jesaya
Yana anak S tephanus
Global food supply chains have faced enormous difficulties as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. All production-related procedures, from the farm level up to the end user, have been impacted by COVID-19. The pandemic crisis has largely disrupted the food value chain and industrial system. The country's food security may be at risk due to the pandemic's negative effects on food supply and demand. Besides that, the movement of raw materials and completed commodities has been hampered by the closing of borders by nations as a preventative step in response to COVID-19.
INTRODUCTION
CONCLUSION
Decline of agriculture production
Impact on food production
Impact on Food Demand and Security
The Malaysian government's implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) and closure of national borders is intended to slow the spread of coronavirus outbreaks, but there is no denying that it has an impact on food production.
The MCO's disrupted almost all economic activities, including the agricultural sector.
This has a direct impact on agricultural product production, resulting in a scarcity of raw material resources for food supply, as well as the closure of national borders, which has a significant impact on food supply because the country is also dependent on imported food.
Although the prime minister assured those agricultural products and food could meet the domestic consumer market but the first MCO period saw the agricultural sector come to a halt (Source: Department of Statistics, 2020).
However, this did not happen for a long time because the agricultural sector was classified as an essential service and was eventually allowed to reopen.
It was also to ensure that food supplied remained available during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The agricultural sector is one of the sector affected by the movement's control order due to COVID-19 pandemic outbreaks. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic not only affected the services, manufacturing and transportation but also to agricultural
sectors such as crops, livestock, fisheries and commodities. Therefore, strategies need to be taken to address the food insecurity problem. Government will need to introduce policies to help the agricultural industry to be fully restored as well as to
increase national income and promote national development.
Covid-19 had indirectly affected Malaysia's ag ricultural sector in terms of supply and demand for food products - Malaysia's production levels for 23 agricultural items declined in 2020, as compared to 21 items in 2019 - due to Covid-19 that affected farmers to reduce the size of farms and turn to other varieties of crops.
The decline of livestock production also due to the decrease demand impacted by prolonged M C O period to curb Covid-19 pandemic whereby only essential services were allowed to operate with restricted working hours and minimum number of employees.
Food security refers to the availability and accessibility of quantities of adequate nutritious food consistently.
Food insecurity occurs due to there is a reduction in international trade activity and disruption in the chain of food supply and production due to COVID-19 .
