Mat Sabu promises to review paddy floor price following farmers' protest

Summary

• Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu pledges to review the paddy floor price and engage with farmers.

• This is after farmers protested against rising diesel and seed costs and criticised the Plant Seed Quality Bill as burdensome for small-scale farmers.

• The farmers want further discussions between the government and the community to minimise the impact of the bill.

Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu has pledged to address the demands of paddy farmers urging the government to review the paddy floor price.

Mohamad said he was also committed to engaging farmers directly on issues affecting the community.

“(Regarding the farmers submitting) a memorandum to the Prime Minister’s Office, the minister will take responsibility by visiting Mada (Muda Agricultural Development Authority), Kada (Kemubu Agricultural Development Authority), and other locations.

“The government will hold continuous engagement sessions with paddy farmers,” he told reporters today.

‘Irrelevant’ floor price

Earlier this morning, over 200 paddy farmers from across the country gathered at the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry in Putrajaya.

The farmers demanded immediate government action on two key issues - the perceived irrelevance of the paddy floor price and the Plant Seed Quality Bill, which they claim burdens small-scale farmers.

Malaysian Paddy Farmers Brotherhood Organisation (Pesawah) chairperson Abdul Rashid Yob highlighted the rising costs of diesel and paddy seeds, rendering the floor price insufficient to sustain farmers’ livelihoods.

“The current floor price is no longer relevant due to the increased costs of diesel and paddy seeds,” he stressed.

He also voiced concerns about the Plant Seed Quality Bill, which he claimed was drafted without consultation with farmers.

“The bill is seen as a burden on small-scale farmers,” Rashid added.

More discussion needed

In November, Mohamad informed the Dewan Rakyat that the drafting of the Plant Seed Quality Bill would be presented to a Parliamentary Special Select Committee before proceeding to the Dewan Rakyat.

However, farmers believe further discussions are needed to ensure the bill does not negatively impact small-scale farmers.

The protest initially planned to take place in front of the Seri Perdana Complex in Putrajaya was relocated to the ministry headquarters out of respect for the state visit of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.

This ensured the peaceful gathering did not disrupt official protocols or the state visit proceedings.

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