KUALA LUMPUR: Agrobank has today signed a strategic agreement with the Perak State Agricultural Development Corporation (Perak SADC) to encourage the involvement of more Malaysians in the agricultural sector.
This is through the "Ladang Untuk Rakyat Programme" for the purpose of planting rubber, palm oil and durian trees.
The partnership was signed by Agrobank president and chief executive officer Tengku Ahmad Badli Shah Raja Hussin, and Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.
It was signed at MAEPS Serdang in conjunction with the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture, and Agrotourism (2022 MAHA) expo.
In a statement today, Agrobank said the development and perational matters under the agreement would be handled by Perak SADC, while the selection of participants by the Perak state government.
The financing program offered amounts from RM5,000 to RM50,000 with a profit rate as low as a funding base rate of zero per cent.
Tengku Ahmad Badli Shah said the partnership aimed to generate additional income in the commodity cultivation sector such as rubber, palm oil and durian, further improving the socio-economic status of low-income groups and B40.
"Agrobank will act as a financier for this programme while Perak SADC will be responsible for providing farm facilities, guidance, maintenance and commodity sales.
"In order to make it easier for 'Ladang Untuk Rakyat' participants, their sales revenue will be paid directly to Agrobank on a monthly basis while excess sales revenue will be distributed to all participants as an annual dividend," he said.
Tengku Ahmad Badli Shah hoped that similar strategic collaboration with organisations and other corporate entities can be implemented to ensure that economic growth can continue to be generated in addition to helping to further increase the stability of the country's food security.
The programme with Perak SADC was first introduced by Agrobank in 2016 through palm oil and rubber plants that had helped more than 1,450 people in the state.