KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 — The Agriculture and Food Industries Ministry (MAFI) will establish a special cross-ministerial committee to assist farmers burdened by the increase in the prices of fertilisers and pesticides in the market.

Its minister Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee said the committee would identify the problems first before submitting their suggestions to resolve them.

“We are aware that many farmers are facing the problem, so we are looking into it and listening to their complaints. We are also mobilising a task force with several ministries including the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry to address the problem”.

Ronald said this to reporters after the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Large-Scale Smart Paddy Field (Smart SBB) project for the 2/2021 Session between the government and seven leading companies here today.

Prior to this, the media reported that farmers had urged the government or the authorities to monitor the sharp increase in the prices of pesticides and fertilisers since last June which had burdened the group and caused them to suffer losses.

Meanwhile, Ronald said as of October 28, a total of 3,811 farmers have benefited from the Smart SBB programme involving 9,777.7 hectares of paddy field in several areas including the Integrated Agricultural Development Area (IADA) in north-west Selangor and Seberang Perak.

The Smart SBB programme is being implemented by MAFI to increase productivity in achieving 75 per cent of the self-sufficiency level (SSL) of local rice production within the 12th Malaysia Plan period.

It also creates efficient and systematic paddy field management through cooperatives, associations or groups, which is expected to reduce dependence on middlemen and increase the income of farmers by up to 50 per cent.

“If the concept is fully implemented, the country will be able to reduce rice imports in line with the National Agrofood Policy 2021-2030, thus increasing the income and productivity of farmers,” he said.

Seven leading companies involved in the Smart SBB project are National Farmers Organisation (Nafas), Satu Cita Sdn Bhd, PTG Builder Services Sdn Bhd, Sermaju Agro Sdn Bhd, Panji Tulin Enterprise, Advansia (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd and Unggul Venture Sdn Bhd, which will bear the paddy cultivation cost of RM3,200 per hectare.

At today’s event, Ronald also launched the Smart SBB book themed Lonjakan Lestari Industri Padi dan Beras which is a collection of the programme’s success stories.

He also launched the Smart SBB first product, namely the Sunflower Local Fragrant Rice from the Smart SBB project in Sekinchan which is expected to be in the market tomorrow with a retail price of RM33 per pack of five kilogrammes. — Bernama