Selangor: The Selangor state government has allocated RM25 million for the agricultural sector to help farmers, including padi farmers, fishermen, livestock breeders, and aquaculture entrepreneurs, cope with rising input, fuel, and food production operational costs.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, State Infrastructure and Agriculture Committee chairman Datuk Izham Hashim stated that the special incentive under the Selangor Resilience Enhancement Package is expected to benefit 14,131 entrepreneurs and farmers across the state. This move aims to ensure the continuity of domestic food production and the stability of the state's agri-food sector. Izham emphasized the importance of this intervention for the sustainability of the food supply chain amid current global economic challenges. The targeted assistance is also expected to mitigate the impact of inflation on the overall cost of living by maintaining domestic production capabilities and the productivity of local entrepreneurs.
In his speech at the launch of the Selangor Resilience Enhancement Package for the agriculture sector at Dewan Sri Bernam, Sungai Besar, Izham highlighted that the padi subsector will receive RM8.75 million in cash aid, benefiting 7,387 padi farmers covering 17,500 hectares. Additionally, other farmers will receive RM6.19 million in fertiliser input assistance. The state government has prioritized fishermen by providing subsidies and plans to add RM300 per person for the next six months if the current subsidies are insufficient. This assistance is provided in the form of petrol and diesel subsidies, tailored to the specific fuel needs of the fishermen. Padi farmers will receive RM500 per hectare, credited directly into their accounts via Agrobank.
For the fisheries subsector, fuel assistance amounting to RM3.92 million will be distributed to 2,178 fishermen, including inland fishermen. In the livestock sector, RM5.4 million in animal feed assistance will benefit 2,000 breeders, while RM729,000 is allocated for 270 aquaculture entrepreneurs. These initiatives are designed to ensure that the state's food supply chain remains well-managed and resilient.
Furthermore, Izham mentioned that the state government has also rolled out the Jualan Ehsan Rahmah (JER) programme at 779 locations in Selangor, with a RM10 million allocation to help ease the cost of living by providing 12 essential items. The intervention is further bolstered by a RM50 million allocation to stabilize the Selangor Food Warehouse (GMS) mechanism as the state's strategic buffer stock, funded jointly by the state government and the Selangor Agricultural Development Corporation (PKPS).