THE Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which came into force on November 29 last year, will not have a negative impact on the agriculture sector, Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Liew Chin Tong said.

The CPTPP will protect the interests of local farmers as it is one of the few free-trade agreements which recognises the issue of food security, he said.

“It is clear that the CPTPP will not have a negative impact on the agriculture sector,” Liew told parliament.

It will also not jeopardise subsidies meant for agriculture exports, he added.

“The claim that the CPTPP will not allow the government to implement bans on basic food exports such as chicken is not true,” the deputy minister said, adding that it will also not result in the sudden removal of import duties on agricultural products.

He noted that Malaysia depends on food imports and 50% of which are products such as mutton and beef.

“For 2020, the average of duty imports for agricultural products is about 13.8% and it further declined to 7.9% in 2021,” Liew added.

At the same time, Malaysia has been given a longer staging period, that is 16 years, for the purpose of reducing and eradicating import duties, including for agricultural products, he said.

“Additionally, Malaysia does not need to fully eliminate its import duties for chickens and eggs under the CPTPP, and we can still maintain the tariff rate quota system,” the deputy minister said. – Bernama, March 1, 2023.