KUALA KANGSAR, Oct 26 — The Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) is targeting to produce 400,000 metric tonnes of food crops worth RM800 million this year from its contract farming programme.

Fama director-general Zainal Abidin Yang Razalli said that as of September this year, a total of 226,677 metric tonnes of crops valued at RM438 million from 5,191 contract farmers were produced.

He said various efforts were made to increase production and supply to all Fama retail outlets, including direct sales from farm, "PedulI Rakyat” bazaar, My Best Buy programme, Agrobazar Kedai Rakyat and farmers’ markets nationwide.

 "The sales method through the programmes implemented by Fama allows contract farmers to sell directly to consumers at lower prices, about five to 30 per cent lower, compared to market prices.

"Indirectly, contract farmers can increase their income and help the government tackling the cost of living,” he told a press conference after witnessing the signing of the sale-and-purchase agreement of contract farms involving four contract farmers from Kuala Kangsar in Kampung Talang Hilir here today.

Meanwhile, Zainal Abidin said there were 764 farmers’ markets involving 31,357 participants operating nationwide with sales value of RM655 million for the first nine months of this year.

He said Fama was also aiming to add 25 more farmers’ markets nationwide this year and as of September, a total of 18 new farmers’ markets had been operational.

There were 41 farmers’ markets in Perak with sales valued at RM25.5 million during the first nine months of the year, he added. — Bernama