Pertubuhan Persaudaraan Pesawah Malaysia (PeSawah) was responding to Farmers’ Organization Authority chairman Mahfuz Omar, who said that increasing yield will help padi growers boost their income more effectively than relying on an upward revision of the floor price.
PeSawah chairman Abdul Rashid Yob said farmers have tried various methods to increase rice production, but several factors have contributed to lower yields, including weather changes, outdated infrastructure, seed quality issues, geographical factors, and unsuitable soil conditions.
“Actually, we have tried many ways to increase our yields. If farmers don’t increase production, our income will be affected. It doesn’t make sense for us to plant rice and not want higher yields,” he told FMT.
He also urged Mahfuz to come to the ground regularly to better understand the challenges faced by farmers. “We are not just hoping for higher prices without making efforts to increase production,” he added.
Rashid reiterated that the request for an increase in the floor price of padi was due to the inability to cope with rising operational costs, which have increased by as much as 55%.
“We farmers cannot balance the rising operational costs with the purchase price,” he said. “Even if our padi yields are high, yet the price remains at RM1,300 per tonne, we may still struggle to cover the soaring operational costs.”
He urged Mahfuz to be more careful with his statements to avoid offending the farmers, who rely on the efforts of agencies to improve production.
Earlier, Mahfuz expressed concern that some farmers were unwilling to increase their yields and were only focussed on the floor price of padi, which is currently set at RM1,300 per tonne, with hopes it could rise to RM1,800.
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