GEORGE TOWN: Penang’s Beras Cap Feri is poised to enter the market next month, with sales beginning at the Agro MADANI Sales event organized by the Farmers’ Organisation Authority (LPP). The rice will be priced at RM15 for a five-kilogramme pack, marking the lowest price for imported rice available in the region.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, State Agrotechnology, Food Security and Cooperative Development Committee Chairman Fahmi Zainol announced that the sale has been made possible following the approval of the operation licence for the Beras Cap Feri mill and wholesale by the Rice and Padi Regulatory Division of the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry on November 13. This approval comes after nearly six months of application. Fahmi explained that the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) and LPP will distribute the rice through Agro MADANI Sales and certified FAMA and Peladang retail outlets.
In addition, Fahmi highlighted that Penang Agrotech Sdn Bhd, a state-owned subsidiary, is set to
begin full operations on January 1, 2025. The establishment of Penang Agrotech aims to generate new revenue streams for the state. The subsidiary will be tasked with executing and coordinating policies, programs, and activities under the State Agrotechnology and Food Security Committee in collaboration with other departments and agencies.
Penang Agrotech, in partnership with the State Agriculture Department, researchers, and the Fruit Farmers Associations, plans to implement an Internet of Things (IoT) monitoring system in the state’s durian farms. This initiative is designed to help farmers reduce production costs while enhancing the quantity and quality of the fruit. The IoT monitoring system has already been deployed at a durian farm in Balik Pulau, where digital data collection is being used to optimize water, fertilizer, and pesticide usage.
On the subject of agro-tourism, Fahmi announced that the Sedusun Valley project in Relau, initiated by the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA), is ex
pected to begin in early 2025. The project has received a total expenditure approval of RM48 million from the federal government.