Malaysia: Grow your own food now, will you?
Tax incentives and subsidies might be among the initiatives that would entice more to be involved in urban farming, which could benefit many in the longer run. Budget 2021 perhaps?
By Zainal Alam Kadir
The Malaysian Reserve
July 7th, 2020
Excerpt:
Bean sprouts (taugeh), as well as various species of mushrooms, might now be growing under some sinks and kitchen cabinets, while yardlong beans (kacang panjang) have replaced the usual creepers on some balconies all over Kuala Lumpur.
In place of certain ornamental plants are Vietnamese coriander (kesum), basil (selasih), pennywort (pegaga) as well as the usual suspects for the Western-cooking like thyme, oregano and rosemary.
Easy-to-grow seeds are also in demand. People seem to be keener in cooking with ingredients that they could pluck in their own gardens like chilli, brinjal and okra. Sale of gardening tools, soil, fertiliser and other apparatus and related utensils are also soaring on the various Internet shopping platforms.
Of course, some seem to be “more courageous” in their choice of plants for their home garden.
In June alone, several people were arrested for planting marijuana in their humble abode.
