PADI FARMERS’ JOY OVER NEW CEILING PRICE SHORTLIVED
Also, rumours abound that rice millers may reduce the purchase price
FOR a moment, padi farmers believed that they could heave a sigh of relief as the government reviewed the ceiling price of white rice.
However, it seemed that the farmers, who have been under pressure following the steep hike of input costs in recent years, would have to wait further as the authorities sort out the matter.
“We were happy when we learnt that the government was setting a new retail price of locally produced rice at RM30 for a 10kg package by March 1,” said Che Ani Mat Zain, the chairman of the Muda Agriculture Development Authority (Mada) action committee.
He was referring to the announcement by the National Action Council for Cost of Living (Naccol) food cluster task force on the Malaysia Madani white rice initiative.
On Wednesday, task force chairman Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Faisal said the government would introduce the Malaysia Madani white rice priced at RM30 for a 10kg sack on Feb 19.
He said that following the move, there would no longer be local white rice (SST) and imported white rice (SSI) categories, adding that the Malaysia Madani white rice would be the sole category.
Padi farmers in Kedah, half of whom are under Mada, contributed the largest chunk, or 45 per cent, to national rice production.
So the announcement was music to their ears, since the ceiling price of RM2.60 per kilogramme for locally produced white rice had not been revised for nearly two decades, despite hikes in input costs.
For the farmers, a revised ceiling price of rice would pave the way for millers to adjust their padi purchasing price upward.
Che Ani said: “We understand that consumers might be unhappy with the hike, but it may be the solution to the supply crisis of locally produced white rice.
“To us, the RM4 increase for a 10kg sack for local white rice is
reasonable given the rising input costs over the past 18 years.
“It will be a win-win situation as farmers will get a fairer selling price of padi while consumers will get locally produced white rice.”
The farmers, however, were left astounded on Saturday when Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said the government had not made any decision on introducing a single category of white rice known under the Malaysia Madani white rice branding.
The New Straits Times reported that analysts had raised concerns about the poor coordination in the government.
They said these shortcomings could erode public confidence in the government.
While they await the government’s decision on the matter, padi farmers in Kedah have another issue to worry about.
Che Ani said rumours were rife that rice millers would reduce the purchase price from RM1,600 per metric tonne to RM1,300 from today.
“Since the harvesting season started about a month ago, rice millers have been buying our padi at RM1,600 per metric tonne.
“We heard rumours that the rice millers are revising the purchase price to RM1,300 per metric tonne.”
The move to cut the purchase price, he said, if it went through, would devastate the farmers as they would not be able to cover their high input costs to cultivate the crop.
He said this move was unacceptable to farmers in Kedah since rice millers in Negri Sembilan were buying the crop at RM1,600 per metric tonnes while those in Selangor were paying RM1,800 per metric tonne.
He said Mada farmers would organise a peaceful protest should the rice millers proceed with the move today.
Yesterday, Bernama reported that a Naccol meeting, to be chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, would be held on Friday to discuss the costof-living issue, especially rice supply.
Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said the ministry, as the Naccol secretariat, had received confirmation from the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry that the rice supply issue would be discussed.
“The power to regulate padi and rice, including the direction of supply and price, is under the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry.
“Any changes involving government policies and programmes related to the padi and rice industry are under the responsibility of the agriculture minister,” he said in Papar, Sabah, yesterday.
Armizan said any announcements on rice supply would be made by Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu or a representative after decisions were reached by Naccol.
Subsequently, these decisions would be taken to the cabinet if they were significant and involved financial implications, he said.