33,000kg of surplus food worth RM416,000 collected at Ramadan bazaars - Fuziah

KUANTAN: A total of 33,000 kilogrammes (kg) of unsold food and drinks valued at an estimated RM416,000 were collected at Ramadan bazaars nationwide since the MySaveFood Ramadan programme was launched on March 14 until today.

Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) Fuziah Salleh said the campaign was activated by the ministry with its strategic partners, namely Pertubuhan Pemuda GEMA Malaysia and Gerakan Pengguna Siswa (GPS) from the institution of higher learning (IPT).

"We have collaborated with GPS, which is a volunteer IPT under KDPN tasked with advising Ramadan bazaar traders nationwide not to waste food and to collect all unsold food to be distributed to those in need.

"Besides collecting surplus edible food, we also make compost from food waste using the compost machine provided by SWCorp, which can produce fertilisers within 48 hours using enzyme materials," she said.

She told the media this after the Pahang-level MySaveFood 2024 Programme at the RAHMAH Mahkota Square Ramadan bazaar yesterday.

Fuziah said a total of 25,000 kg of food was collected during the pilot MySaveFood project during Ramadan last year and, this time, it is expected to increase with the participation of more volunteers in collecting surplus food at bazaars.

Commenting on Ops Pantau which was implemented from March 12 until yesterday in Pahang, Fuziah said a total of 3,239 premises were inspected.

-- BERNAMA