THE government spends a total of RM2.2 billion a year to provide various incentives to the rice farmers to increase national rice production and the income of the farmers.
Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman said the incentives included the provision of seeds, fertilisers, paddy price subsidies and other assistance.
“The assistance comprises the provision of 140 kg of paddy seeds for every one hectare of paddy field, we also provide 16 bags of urea and compound fertilisers for every hectare, with a cost at RM560 per hectare.
“Apart from that, the government also provide incentives for additional fertilisers, such as NPK, foliar, growth enhancer and others, for which RM400 is allocated for NPK and RM140 for other fertilisers as well as RM200 for pesticides,” he said during the question-and-answer session at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
He was replying to a question from Datuk Nawawi Ahmad (BN- Langkawi) who wanted to know whether the government intended to expand the living allowance scheme to paddy farmers and rubber tappers, as given to the fishermen.
Tajuddin said the paddy farmers also enjoyed the plowing assistance of RM100 and lime assistance, once in every three months worth RM905.
“The paddy farmers also enjoy subsidised rice price which is currently at RM248 for per metric tonne, but beginning next year it will be increased to RM300 per metric tonne,” he said. — Bernama