Angkatan Koperasi Kebangsaan Malaysia Bhd (Angkasa) aims to establish 100 cooperatives for the country’s halal poultry industry.
Its president, Datuk Seri Dr Abdul Fattah Abdullah, stated that from now on, a minimum of 100 coops with a capacity of producing 50,000 chickens may be developed, contributing to an annual production of approximately 30 million birds.
He stated that the endeavour might boost the cooperative movement’s involvement in the field of agro-food and is in line with the government’s objective to have the sector contribute RM100 billion to GDP by 2030.
“We have seven million cooperative members nationwide. In terms of marketing, we will provide at least 3000 outlets under the JiMAT SHOP Angkasa store flagship, and we have identified 6000 mosques that can be the outlets.
“For us, the question of where to sell is not an issue, as long as this effort can be implemented to fruition,” he said at a press conference after witnessing the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Angkasa, Koperasi Negeri Johor and Mars Global Sdn Bhd here on the 13th of June.
Also present were Johor Angkasa chairman Sazali Abd Hamid and Mars Global Sdn Bhd CEO Mohd Norulhizam Mohd Ramli.
According to Abdul Fattah, the cooperative could be established through contract farms with chicken suppliers such as Mars Global Sdn Bhd in Johor.
However, he stated that state support is necessary to get the farm up and running.
“We must negotiate with the state government to acquire a plantation area (for example, to establish four coops), which will require seven to ten acres of land.” If it is possible, the cooperative can speed up the process and get the farm up and running,” he said.
He stated that the government’s allocation of RM500 million in agro-food funds to entrepreneurs would aid in the progress of chicken farms.
“So, I hope the cooperatives can use this space and opportunity and request the government to channel this allocation to the cooperative movement, seeing the benefits that will impact the community and the national economy,” he said.
