KUALA LUMPUR: The 2022 Auditor General's Report found that almost a quarter of 77,275 rice farmers have an average income below RM600 per month.
Auditor General Datuk Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radzi said that this involved a total of 17,525 rice farmers, which is 22.7 per cent of total rice farmers in the country.
The majority of rice farmers of just over 26,000, earn between RM600 and RM1,499.99 while 15,116 earn between RM1,500 and RM2,499.99.
The income range of 7,582 rice farmers is between RM2,500 to RM3,499.99 and only 11,049 rice farmers earn an average income of more than RM3,500 monthly.
Based on the 2021 Rice and Rice Industry Statistics Basic Information, the estimated net income of rice farmers for each hectare of rice production is RM629.76 per month.
"In order to earn an average monthly income above the national poverty line (PGK) of RM2,208, rice farmers need to cultivate at least 3.6 hectares of padi land," she said.