RM1,500 Padi Floor Price Shows Govt’s Commitment To Farmers' Welfare

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 13 (Bernama) -- Farmers in Perlis and Kedah have welcomed the adjustment of the padi purchase floor price to RM1,500 per metric ton, announced today by Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, as a sign of the federal government's commitment to their welfare.

In PERLIS, Shahidan Ismail, 62, a farmer from Kampung Banat, Arau, described the new floor price as good news, especially after losing crops to floods last December.

"My five-relung padi field was affected by the floods. I lost over RM5,000. This announcement brings some relief, and I thank the government for their concern for farmers like us," he told Bernama.

Another farmer from Kampung Pulau Lincai, Arau, Nazari Basri, 41, thanked the government for responding to the farmers' hardships following the December floods.

Nazari said the announcement has given his morale a boost, as he suffered losses of over RM2,000 when his two-relung padi field was damaged in the disaster.

Meanwhile, Perlis Agriculture, Plantation, and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Razali Saad said the state government views the newly announced padi purchase floor price as a positive step in easing operational costs for farmers.

"We’re grateful for the RM1,500 price, an improvement from RM1,300. We must praise this good move. Alhamdulillah, and thank you to the government. This is a positive step that helps resolve farmers' concerns over pricing," he told Bernama.

During a ministerial briefing on the state of the country’s rice and padi industry in the Dewan Rakyat today, Mohamad Sabu announced that the floor price would be raised from RM1,300 to RM1,500 per metric ton, effective this Sunday.

He also confirmed that the price of local white rice would remain at RM2.60 per kg, with the government absorbing about RM150 million in production costs over six months.

Razali stated that the new floor price would benefit 8,743 farmers within the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) region and 6,788 farmers outside it across the state.

Regarding the price of local white rice, he expressed hope that no cartels would attempt to disrupt the market.

In ALOR SETAR, the Malaysian Farmers’ Brotherhood Organisation (PeSAWAH) expressed gratitude to the federal government for raising the padi purchase floor price. 

PeSAWAH chairman Abdul Rashid Yob said the previous calls for a price increase were justified and reasonable, given rising operational costs and last year’s increase in padi seed prices.

"However, we also propose an additional RM300 padi price incentive on top of the new floor price and call on the government to lower the controlled price of certified padi seeds," he said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Hamdi Ahmad, 40, a farmer from Sanglang, welcomed the price adjustment, saying it would help ease the financial burden faced by farmers.

For Mohd Shukor Mustafa, 41, from Kodiang, the revised floor price serves as a motivation for farmers like him to increase their yield.

"We are grateful for this adjustment," he said.

-- BERNAMA