Farmers welcome RM200 aid
They want lower wet padi deduction as current number is too high
KLANG: Farmers in Sekinchan welcomed the monthly RM200 aid for a three-month period while they await their padi harvest. But they also hope the Government will reduce the wet padi deduction that they feel is too high.
Pua Lian Hu, 53, who has been farming for over 40 years, said the aid would be useful as farmers have no income while waiting for the harvest season.
“I think it is good because there is at least some help, albeit small, to cope with our living expenses,” he said.
With two padi seasons a year, Pua said he had to divide each season’s earnings into six portions to cover living expenses for six months until the next harvest.
“Any incident that happens – diseases, flood or drought – could affect our expenses severely.
“I think a more realistic way of helping the farmers is to reduce the wet padi deduction because that will directly increase our income,” he added.
Wet padi’s water content is deducted before it is sold to Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas).
Farmer Samudin Abdullah, 50, also feels the current deduction range of 20% to 22% is too high.
“The deduction should be lowered. This will directly benefit all farmers,” he said, adding that the deduction used to be only 14%.
Samudin, a farmer for close to 40 years, hailed the pre-harvest aid which he will use to supplement the family’s expenses.
However, he was confused about when and how the aid will be distributed.
“Is it given based on the size of the padi field or to each farmer regardless of how many fields we operate?” he asked, adding that aid given according to size would be a fairer mechanism because some farmers work large fields.
“Since the budget will still be debated, I will read up more about this and check with the authorities later,” said Samudin, who is also the village head of Kampung Parit 8 in Sungai Lemang, Sekinchan.
Farmer Sam Fai, 71, said he had reservations about the announce- ment, which he considered “election candy”.
“RM200 to a farmer isn’t much help,” he said, adding that he was doubtful if the aid would really reach all the farmers.
“To really help the farmers, the Government should lower the wet padi deduction rate and check the escalating price of fertilisers.”
Padi farmer Muhammad Rafirdaus Abu Bakar said the allocation did not address concerns over their standard of living.
“Although the Government shows its concern towards padi farmers by handing out RM200 a month for a three-month period, the farmers remain in poverty.
“The cash handout can be seen as emergency aid, but farmers are burdened by the increasing cost of living, farming materials and also GST,” said the operator of a padi estate in Kodiang, Kedah.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced in Budget 2018 that RM200 would be given to all padi farmers nationwide for a period of three months while they wait for the harvest.
Najib said close to RM150mil has been allocated for this first-time initiative, aimed at reducing the financial burden of padi farmers.