No report on shortage of food imported from India - MAFI

CAMERON HIGHLANDS: The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI) has not received any report on the shortage of food imported from India following the rise in the country's COVID-19 cases at the moment.

Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Ronald Kiandee said the ministry had not received such reports especially involving onions, rice and meat imported from the country, ahead of the Aidilfitri celebration next month.

"So far, there has been no impact (food shortage) in Malaysia. This means that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic that hit India has not affected the supply of imported food.

"However, in the event of (food shortage), we will think of appropriate measures to ensure the country's food supply is always sufficient," he told reporters after opening the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) Centre of Excellence for Green Agriculture, here today.

Also present was MARDI director-general Datuk Dr. Mohamad Roff Mohd Noor.

The media had previously reported that India had logged a record high daily fatalities and infection rate of COVID-19 with thousands of patients dying across the country.

It also reported more than 340,000 new infections within 24 hours, bringing the total COVID-19 cases in the country to 16.5 million cases, the second worst-affected country after the United States.

-- BERNAMA