KUALA LUMPUR – The Agriculture and Food Industries Ministry will establish a special cross-ministerial committee to assist farmers burdened by the increase in prices of fertilisers and pesticides in the market.
Its minister Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee said the committee would identify problems first before submitting their suggestions to resolve them.
“We are aware that many farmers are facing this problem, so we are looking into it and listening to their complaints. We are also mobilising a task force with several ministries including the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry to address the problem”.
Kiandee said this to reporters after the signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding for the Large-Scale Smart Padi Field (Smart SBB) project between the government and seven leading companies here today.
Prior to this, the media reported that farmers had urged the government and authorities to monitor the sharp increase in the prices of pesticides and fertilisers since last June, which had burdened the group and caused them to suffer losses.
Meanwhile, Kiandee said as of October 28, 3,811 farmers have benefited from the Smart SBB programme involving 9,777.7ha of padi fields in several areas, including the Integrated Agricultural Development Area in northwest Selangor and Seberang Perak.
The ministry is implementing the Smart SBB programme to increase productivity in achieving 75% self-sufficiency in local rice production within the 12th Malaysia Plan period.
It will create efficient and systematic padi field management through cooperatives, associations, or groups, which is expected to reduce dependence on middlemen and increase the income of farmers by up to 50%.
“If the concept is fully implemented, the country will be able to reduce rice imports in line with the National Agrofood Policy 2021-2030, thus increasing the income and productivity of farmers,” he said.
The seven leading companies involved in the Smart SBB project are National Farmers Organisation, Satu Cita Sdn Bhd, PTG Builder Services Sdn Bhd, Sermaju Agro Sdn Bhd, Panji Tulin Enterprise, Advansia (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd and Unggul Venture Sdn Bhd, which will bear the paddy cultivation cost of RM3,200 per hectare. – Bernama, November 9, 2021
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