Kampung Alor Belat: The Malaysian Padi Farmers Brotherhood Organisation (PeSAWAH) has called on the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to immediately lower the price of padi seeds for the 1/2025 planting season to ease the financial burden on farmers.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the chairman of PeSAWAH, Abdul Rashid Yob, stated that the current controlled price at the factory gate remains at RM58 per 20kg bag. This rate was set in March 2024, a time when mills were offering up to RM1,800 per tonne for harvested padi. However, the latest harvests have only fetched around RM1,500 per tonne, leading to calls for a reduction in seed prices.

Abdul Rashid emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that the first phase of the planting season under the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) begins with the water release on April 16. He highlighted that farmers are currently obliged to purchase certified seeds at RM58 per bag and proposed that the price be reduced to RM35 per bag at the factory gate. He also pointed out that increasing living costs and machinery rental rates are compounding the difficulties faced by farmers.

In support, a farmer named Shukri Baharom, aged 63, urged the government to take swift action. He remarked that the current seed prices are based on outdated padi prices, which were set when the padi price was RM1,800 per tonne. With the government now setting the floor price at RM1,500, Shukri expressed hope that the government would urgently consider adjusting the seed prices accordingly.