YAN, Oct 26 — The allocation of RM2.4 billion for padi farmers in various forms of subsidies and incentives is important to raise and stabilise the income of planters.

In fact, padi farmers in the Sungai Limau state constituency and Barisan Nasional by-election candidate Dr Ahmad Sohaimi Lazim said the allocation by the government was seen as being caring for the problems faced by padi farmers.    

“The subsidy, we hope will help reduce the cost of production shouldered by farmers and fishermen to raise their productivity and standard of living, which is a major benefit to them,” he said when contacted by Bernama.

He said this when commenting on Budget 2014 tabled by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak at Dewan Rakyat yesterday which allocated RM6 billion to implement value-add and commercially competitive agricultural programmes.   

This included RM2.4 billion in the form of subsidies and incentives including fertilizer subsidy, seeds and padi price.

The former senior lecturer of Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris said the allocation proved the federal government was sincere in caring for the farmers especially padi farmers.

Meanwhile PAS candidate Mohd Azam Abd Samat when contacted by Bernama said he needed more time to study the budget before giving his comments.

For the padi farmers in the Sungai Limau constituency, the RM2.4 billion allocation was good news to them.

Mohd Nasir Ismail, 34, a padi farmer said the allocation would boost farming the area.

For Abdul Rashid Ahmad, 52, a padi farm in Sedaka, Sungai Limau near here, the allocation would help farmers make agriculture more sustainable. – Bernama