SERDANG Sept 1 — Fourteen memoranda of understanding (MoUs) worth RM1.49 billion were signed at the opening of MAHA Trade Days 2026 today, reflecting investors' confidence in Malaysia's agri-food sector.
Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said the ministry was targeting about RM8 billion in investment and trade commitments over the three days of MAHA Trade Days in conjunction with the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Exhibition (MAHA) 2026.
“Investor confidence in the food industry and those related to food (is getting better), we have reached RM1.49 billion of the target of RM8 billion.
“We hope that there will be more Malaysian agro-food products on the international market in the future,” he told the media after witnessing the MoU signing at the MAHA Trade Days 2026 here today.
“There are Malaysian products (at the global level) but we want to highlight them again so that the marketing of Malaysian-made products, especially those related to food, to other countries is higher.
"This includes our attempt to foster better cooperation with Africa. We know that Africa is developing and we will also focus on that," he said.
Mohamad said coffee, cocoa, pineapple and durian products are among the agro-food products that have the potential to be marketed globally.
"I see that coffee processed in Malaysia is already widespread in the world and needs to be improved. The others are pineapple, durian and everything else that is already available.”
The ministry in a statement said that the MoU covered various strategic agro-food sub-sectors, including agricultural inputs, production and processing of agricultural products, livestock industry, halal food products, pineapple, development of agricultural products as well as technology and capacity development.
Among the high-value collaborations recorded are the development of a pineapple processing plant in Tukau, Miri in Sarawak worth RM1.03 billion, strategic collaborations in the production and distribution of agricultural products, the expansion of high-tech broiler farm capacity and the development of special fertilisers for pineapple.
MAHA Trade Days 2026 is expected to spark more business matches, investment opportunities, technology collaborations and new market access, supporting efforts to strengthen the competitiveness of the Malaysian agro-food industry and increase the presence of local products in the global market.
The three-day programme brought together nearly 2,000 exhibitors with export-ready products as well as 40 international buyers consisting of wholesalers, distributors and retailers from various international markets.
