KUALA LUMPUR: Padi farmers have expressed their gratitude for the government’s newly-announced financial aid, designed to assist with early preparations for Ramadan and Syawal, citing it as a clear demonstration of the Madani government’s dedication to alleviating the impact of rising living costs.
However, farmers in Perak hope that the RM15mil allocation announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday will be effectively distributed to those in need.
A farmer from Bagan Serai, Saiful Shahrin Ahmad Pauzi, 41, hopes the assistance will reach farmers directly, helping them cope with the rising costs.
“We are truly grateful to the Prime Minister for his concern in safeguarding the welfare of padi farmers and ensuring that no one is left behind in facing the challenges of high living costs.
“The government recently raised the padi floor price to RM1,500 per tonne, from RM1,300 previously, a move aimed at alleviating the financial strain on rice farmers,” he told Bernama.
A padi farmer from Seberang Perak, Khairol Fikri Mohamed Amin, 37, expressed his gratitude for the government’s efforts in providing aid to farmers and hopes for continued initiatives to enhance the value of the country’s rice industry.
“Padi reform is essential to ensuring the future self-sufficiency of local padi and rice supplies. This will elevate the industry to greater heights. I sincerely hope the government can turn this into a reality,” he said.
Iswan Syahrullah Ismail, 35, who owns a rice field in the Kerian area, said the assistance would help farmers reduce their current expenses and hopes it would reach those in need.
“Farming costs are currently very high, with diesel prices for machinery increasing by 15 to 30%. This has also indirectly driven up the price of pesticides and fertilisers, among others. However, with this RM15mil aid, farmers can better manage their expenses and optimise costs,” he said.
On Thursday, Anwar announced the RM15mil allocation from Padiberas Nasional Berhad (Bernas) to help padi farmers prepare for Ramadan and Syawal.
In Penang, state agrotechnology and food security committee chairman Fahmi Zainol said the aid would benefit more than 230,000 padi farmers nationwide.
He noted that the announcement came just three weeks after the increase in the padi purchase price, highlighting the Prime Minister’s commitment to finding solutions for rice farmers, a gesture deeply appreciated by the community.
“Every form of assistance provided to padi farmers is invaluable, especially in helping them prepare for Ramadan and Syawal,” he added.
