JERLUN - Padi farmers in Kedah have urged the government to reassess the floor price of padi purchases by manufacturers in the state, which is currently set at RM1,200 per tonne, a rate they consider exceptionally low.
A farmer, Mohd Sobri Osman, 60, said the government-set floor price of RM1,200 per tonne for rice purchases needs to be reviewed to safeguard the farmers’ welfare.
According to him, manufacturers had previously increased the rice purchase price to RM1,700 per tonne, but later reduced it to RM1,250 since Oct 3, nearly reaching the floor price.
"If it cannot be increased to RM1,700 per tonne, even an increase to RM1,500 per tonne would be acceptable for us. We appreciate any improvement, as prices have remained unchanged for a considerable period," he said at a press conference here today.
Another farmer, Lim Han Bon, 38, said the current padi prices set by manufacturers were crushing farmers' hopes of a modest yield this season.
He added that the situation was putting pressure on farmers as not all of them had good rice harvests due to weather and recent pest attacks.
"With the current price of RM1,250, it's simply not sustainable; it doesn't even cover our high farming costs. There was a time when I managed to sell at RM1,750 for a brief two-week period, and it felt great. But now, the price has plummeted to RM1,250...I feel like crying," he said during the press conference.
Another farmer, Salleh Ali, also expressed his dissatisfaction.
"The decrease in rice prices disappoints farmers, and we urge the government to find an immediate solution to raise rice prices for our welfare. About 60 per cent of Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada) cultivation areas are yet to be harvested. Just when we were expecting a good season, prices suddenly dropped.
"In a scenario where agricultural input prices are on the rise, operational costs escalate from planting to harvesting, but no one cares. When prices unexpectedly drop like this, we are burdened with high expenses, and the yield does not match our efforts and time we have invested all along," he added. - BERNAMA