Agriculture
Agro conference to focus on supply chain
By Star Business
Jul 7, 2006, 11:28

Agro conference to focus on supply chain

SUBANG JAYA: The upcoming second Malaysian Agro-Bio Business Conference will place emphasis on how delivery and logistics systems can be boosted to maximise the potential of agricultural supply chains in the country.

A part of the conference will also see how information and communications technology will help facilitate efficiency in logistics and research and development (R&D) in Malaysia.

The conference, organised by Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute, Marditech Corp Sdn Bhd, TF Net, Expomal International and Kumpulan Utusan, will be held on July 13–14, and is expected to draw 150 participants from the private sector, Government, development agencies and other interested parties.

Marditech general manager Anas Ahmad Nasaruddin said about 70 to 80 participants had signed up but believed that interest was still growing.

“In this conference, as in the last one, the focus is on wealth creation. But this time we are seeing how science and technology help to move agriculture that way,” he told reporters at a briefing yesterday.

From left: Marco Tieman, Anas Ahmad Nasaruddin and Marditech senior manager of business technology services Datuk Tunku Mahmud
To date, Marditech has more than 400 scientists involved in R&D and Anas said the company hoped to repeat successes like producing Omega 3 eggs.

R&D for agriculture made up 0.5% of Malaysia’s gross domestic product (GDP), Anas said, although in Japan the figure was at 3%.

As for the conference itself, speakers from around the region will present different perspectives on topics ranging from beef production to halal food.

MDS Logistics Sdn Bhd managing director Marco Tieman, who was present at the briefing, will speak on how to improve logistics to work in a fashion that enables perishables to be transported in a more efficient manner so that Malaysia will be able to better export products to lucrative international markets.

“Malaysia should also start cold-chain initiatives, which should be adopted by all sections of the supply chain, from producers to logistics and up to the retail market,” Tieman said.

He also said Malaysia currently had room to develop educational initiatives up to the undergraduate and post-graduate level.

The Malaysian Agro-Bio Business Conference will be held in conjunction with the three-day 7th Malaysia International Food & Beverage Trade Fair (MIFB), which will be held in Putra World Trade Centre on July 13–15. Last year's MIFB generated RM26mil in business sales, and organisers believe there will be a 10% increase in generated business this year.

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