BERA: Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob yesterday instructed Padiberas Nasional Berhad (Bernas) to stop cutting the payment for production of padi to the extent of burdening padi farmers in the country.
He said although the cutting of the payment was done based on the quality of the padi, Bernas should also take into account the welfare of the farmers.
“Although I have recently announced the standardisation of padi price, we cannot expect the quality of padi to be improved overnight because it will need at least two years for the farmers to be able to improve the quality of padi produced.
“Therefore, I’m calling on Bernas not to cut the payment based on the actual quality of the padi to the extent of reducing the farmers’ income,” he told reporters after presenting 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) for recipients in Bera parliamentary constituency here yesterday.
Also present were Pahang Health, Human Resources and Special Tasks Committee chairman Datuk Norol Azali Sulaiman and Kemayan assemblyman Datuk Mohd Fadil Osman.
The move taken by Bernas in cutting between 28 and 40 per cent of the payment for padi farmers after last year’s floods, had caused dissatisfaction among the farmers involved. — Bernama