Agriculture Produce Prices Remain Stable - FAMA
KUALA LUMPUR, April 20 (Bernama) -- The price of food items and agricultural produce in the country have remained stable so far despite the increase in diesel prices, Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) director-general Abdul Rashid Bahri said.
He added that the current situation showed no significant disruption to the food supply chain, following government measures to provide sufficient diesel subsidies to farmers and distributors to cover operational costs.
“In fact, at present, the diesel price increase has not had a significant impact. Prices remain stable and supply is sufficient,” he told reporters at the Johor edition MADANI Agro Sale programme at FAMA headquarters here today.
He added that FAMA, together with Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN), continuously monitors the stability of supply and prices.
“As of last week, food supply remains stable with no significant impact observed. We will continue to closely monitor developments in prices and supply,” he said.
Abdul Rashid also advised the public not to engage in panic buying, assuring that food supplies are adequate, while dismissing viral claims regarding rice shortages in Sabah.
On global cost pressures affecting food prices, he said programmes such as the MADANI Agro Sale help maintain prices 10 to 30 per cent lower than the market by enabling direct sales from producers to consumers without intermediaries.
He added that the contract farming programme also played an important role in stabilising agricultural prices while ensuring farmers receive fair returns.
“Through this programme, we set a floor price. If market prices fall, FAMA will purchase at a higher price to ensure farmers remain viable and supply is not affected,” he explained.
He also said FAMA has received new allocations from the Finance Ministry and the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry to continue implementing the MADANI Agro Sale programme this year, from April to December.
“Overall, we are targeting 5,000 MADANI Agro Sale programmes nationwide, with FAMA itself organising 3,500 of them,” he said.
The Johor edition of the MADANI Agro Sale programme, themed “Kerja Kahwin Johor”, involved 30 entrepreneurs offering products such as chicken, meat, seafood, vegetables and fruits, while visitors enjoyed savings including MADANI Combo Happy Hour sets priced as low as RM5.
The programme is expected to attract 2,000 visitors, generate RM100,000 in sales, and deliver savings of about RM30,000, while participating entrepreneurs are projected to earn an additional RM3,000 to RM5,000 each.
Since its introduction in January last year, the MADANI Agro Sale programme has recorded cumulative sales of approximately RM2.059 million as of March 2026.
-- BERNAMA
