ALOR STAR: The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry will revise the current 30 per cent quota for certified padi seeds production awarded to government-linked companies and agencies next year.
Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said the government decision to increase production quota of the subsidised padi seeds for GLCs and agencies would depend on their individual production capacity.
"We will revise the current quota next year in order to increase the quota (certified padi seeds production) for government agencies and GLCs," he said in a press conference after attending a solidarity gathering for Palestine here today.
Present were Muda Agriculture Development Authority (Mada) chairman Datuk Dr Ismail Salleh and its general manager Kamarudin Dahuli.
Asked to elaborate on the quantum of percentage increase to be considered by the ministry, he said it would depend on the production capacity of the respective GLCs and agencies.
"We will study the GLCs capacity, if they are capable to produce more we will give more," he said.
Mohamad added that the government is also planning to establish a stockpile for certified padi seeds as a long-term measure to prevent any shortage of subsidised padi seedlings, as announced by him recently.
"The idea is, should anything happened, we will have the 50,000 metric tonnes of certified padi seeds stockpile," he said.
The government is spending about RM75 million annually to provide RM1.03 subsidy for each kilogramme of 72,000 metric tonnes certified padi seeds produced for padi cultivation nationwide.
Of the total production quota, the biggest chunk - 78 per cent is awarded to 12 private producers with the remaining 22 per cent were distributed among four GLCs and agencies.
They are PPK (Area Farmers Organisation) Lahar Bubu in Penang, MadaCorp, Felcra Plantation and Kemubu Agriculture Development Authority (Kada).
Last month, it was reported that padi farmers were crying foul over the supply shortage of certified padi seeds, forcing them to obtain the supply in the 'black market' at a price above the RM45 per kilogramme ceiling set by the government.
In response, Dr Ismail and the national Farmers Organisation Authority (LPP) chairman, Datuk Mahfuz Omar called the ministry to take stern actions against privately certified padi seeds producers over the supply shortage.
He also called on the ministry to review the current certified padi seeds production quota awarded to GLCs and agencies, which is lower than their actual production capacity.
Meanwhile, Mohamad said the padi yield for the current cultivation cycle is not going to be affected despite the shortage of certified padi seeds supply reported last month.
"I was informed that as of today, some 80 per cent of the padi fields under Mada territory have started the cultivation cycle.
"It is still within the current cultivation cycle schedule, hence it will not affect the padi yield, we have things under control by Mada," he said.
Mada manages the country's largest padi cultivation area with over 100,000 hectares involving over 35,000 farmers.