ALOR SETAR: The Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) is targeting to produce 350,000 metric tonnes of fruits and vegetables worth RM300 million by the year 2020.
Its chairman Tan Sri Badruddin Amiruldin said this target would meet the needs of the farmers’ markets which would increase from the present 686 to 1,000 within the next three years.
“We are confident that this target can be achieved, especially with the Ladang Kontrak (Contract Plantations) programme with 9,500 hectares of land and 5,000 participants to meet this target,” he told reporters at the Agriculture Entrepreneurs Meeting and Aidilfitri celebrations 2017 here yesterday.
Badruddin said owners of private abandoned land could join in the programme to increase national agricultural produce with various assistance and start-up capital provided by Fama.
“We want to encourage the business culture among the younger generation as we believe many of them come from business and agriculture families but these have not been passed down to the children. Throughvarious Through various programmes including MyAgrosis which is the Agriculture Graduates Entrepreneurs Club, they can continue their families’ efforts in the field, bringing it to a higher level as MyAgrosis members get guidance and assistance from Fama.”
Badruddin added that Fama was also targeting to produce 1,000 caravan entrepreneurs by 2020, compared to 246 now, with a targeted return of profits of more than RM5,000 a month. — Bernama