Kuala Lumpur:Perlis The Perlis Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) is hopeful that Budget 2027 will prioritize empowering entrepreneurs in the Food and Agro-based Industry (IMAT).

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohd Anzara Azizan, the director of Perlis FAMA, emphasized the importance of continuous support, including grants, training, mentoring, packaging, labeling, and digital marketing, to help entrepreneurs enhance their capacity and expand their market reach.

Perlis FAMA currently assists 324 IMAT entrepreneurs by offering guidance in product improvement, branding, and marketing to prepare their products for the wider market. Mohd Anzara stressed the need for stronger access to grants and development programs, particularly for micro and rural entrepreneurs, to boost their business capacities.

He also expressed hope that Budget 2027 would support efforts to market agricultural produce and develop agrifood entrepreneurs in Perlis, addressing issues like oversupply and commodity price fluctuations. Enhancing FAMA's capacity to implement market interventions and purchase farmers' produce during such periods is a key requirement at the state level.

Mohd Anzara highlighted the necessity of supply chain and logistics facilities, such as cold storage, transportation, and produce collection and processing centers, to strengthen the marketing of agricultural produce. Adequate support would enable FAMA to market farmers' produce quickly through its existing channels, safeguarding farmers' income.

An IMAT entrepreneur in Perlis, Noorhafizah Mazlan, 38, hopes for increased grant values or cash capital injections to support SME business operations. Noorhafizah, who produces sambal-based products, has benefited from FAMA's assistance, including packaging and equipment through the Young Agropreneur Grant worth RM25,000, but faces challenges such as rising production costs and competition from more established brands.

Her products are sold through social media platforms and stocked at mini-markets and petrol stations across the state, although she has not yet obtained halal and MeSTI certifications, which are necessary for broader market approval.