KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 -- The government will use tax exemptions, targeted aid and policy reforms to ease pressure on the food production sector as global tensions, particularly conflicts in the Middle East, continue to drive up fuel and agricultural input costs.

Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin said the government's response is divided into short-, medium- and long-term measures aimed at reducing production costs and strengthening food supply resilience.

"In the immediate term, the government will exempt selected agricultural inputs, including rock phosphate and magnesium sulphate, from the sales and service tax (SST) from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2027, to help reduce production costs," he told ...