ALOR STAR: The federal government's decision made after the special meeting of the National Action Council for Cost of Living (NACCOL) may have been a victory for consumers at the expense of local padi farmers.
Farmers' groups said that the decision to enhance enforcement of the padi industry while reviewing the price of imported white rice to be sold at a cheaper price, would barely address the challenges faced by padi cultivators.
Muda Agriculture Development Authority (Mada) Farmer's Action Committee chairman Che Ani Mat Zain lamented that there was no mention of increasing the price of locally produced white rice, which has remained stagnant at RM 2.60 per kg since 2008.
He argued that the government's decision does not align with their objectives of eliminating hardcore poverty among padi farmers.
"Instead, it appears to be a populist move aimed at avoiding backlash from Malaysia's population of 32 million, while over 240,000 padi farmers that toil the fields in the heat and rain continue to suffer.
"There's a lot that has been stressed about keeping the price of white rice lower but little has been said about the fate of local padi farmers," he told the New Straits Times today.
Che Ani said that padi farmers had already had their hopes up when NACCOL proposed the RM30 per 10kg Madani white rice scheme but were hampered that the proposal was short lived.
"We agreed with rice millers on the current padi purchasing price, which allows for an increase from RM1,300 per metric tonne to a maximum of RM1,750 per metric tonne.
"But if the price of local white rice remains at RM2.60 per kg, I believe the shortage in the local rice market will persist," he added.
Malaysian Padi Farmers Brotherhood Organisation (Pesawah) executive council member Abdul Rashid Yob said there must be efforts to educate the public on the importance of raising the price of locally produced white rice.
"People must grasp the necessity of a price increase for white rice. With the cost of imported white rice soaring to RM4.00 per kg, our local price has not budged since 2008.
"The government's inaction on the local white rice pricing issue deeply disappoints the local padi farming community," he added.
He warned that the ongoing price dilemma would exacerbate the current market shortage and manipulation of rice packagers of local white rice.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced Padiberas Nasional Berhad (Bernas) has agreed to review the price of imported white rice.
This, he said, would provide an alternative for the people to purchase rice at a more affordable price.
Anwar also highlighted the importance of enhancing enforcement to ensure the availability of rice in the market and prevent adulteration of content with local and imported white rice to be sold at high prices.
Meanwhile, Consumers Association of Kedah (Cake) president Yusrizal Yusoff lauded the government's efforts to encourage Bernas to revise imported white rice pricing and the enhanced enforcement on deceitful packaging practices.
However, he voiced concerns over the dire situation of local padi farmers, exacerbated by the low padi purchase floor price of RM1300 per metric tonne.
"The floor price is insufficient for padi farmer's sustainability, and we believe a minimum of RM1700 per metric tonne is necessary.
"We fear the lack of profitability in padi farming could jeopardise the industry's future, deterring the younger generation from farming," he added.
He stressed that there is a need for initiatives to bolster the padi sector's future while addressing the manipulation by middlemen.