KUALA LUMPUR: Padi inspection and quality assessment at the Bernas Rice Mill (KBB) in Bukit Kenak, Terengganu, are in accordance with established standards and regulations, says the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry.
It said in a statement on Tuesday (Sept 15) that these include the Malaysian Standard MS 84:2017 and the Padi Grading Standard Operating Procedure under Standing Order No. 3/2017 issued by the Padi and Rice Regulatory Division director-general.
It was commenting on a complaint of a high padi deduction rate (the percentage subtracted from the total weight or price of a farmer's padi harvest when sold to rice mills) by a farmer over the harvest he sold to the Bukit Kenak mill.
The ministry said that based on laboratory analysis, the main factor contributing to a 46.2% deduction rate in the rice was a high content of immature/green grains, which reached 23.8% after the allowable 3.0% exemption was deducted.
Other contributing factors included wet padi content at 10.6% and empty rice grains (a hull that contains no actual rice kernel) at 11.8%.
The ministry said padi harvesting season in Terengganu for the second season of the year is still at an early stage.
"Padi harvested during the early part of the season, particularly from areas outside the main granary irrigation schemes such as Kampung Jelapang, Setiu, is commonly affected by uneven grain maturity during harvesting," it said.
The ministry stressed that the grading process at all purchasing mills prioritises transparent two-way communication with farmers or their representatives.
"For this transaction, the deduction rate was clearly communicated, and the farmers’ representative confirmed acceptance of the assessment by signing the Padi Quality Certificate (SMP) before the purchase was finalised," the dtatement read.
The ministry said it remained committed to safeguarding farmers’ welfare while ensuring the efficiency of the padi and rice industry through compliance with established guidelines and standards.
The ministry has also instructed the Padi and Rice Regulatory inspection team to coordinate monitoring in states that are approaching their harvesting seasons.
Recently, a video of a farmer expressing dissatisfaction over the 46.2% padi deduction rate at KBB Bukit Kenak, Terengganu, went viral on social media.
Following the issue, the Padi and Rice Regulatory Division under the ministry conducted a detailed review of the transaction records and padi quality testing procedures at the mill on Sept 8 to ensure transparency and standards compliance. – Bernama
