PARIT BUNTAR: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today announced an increase to the padi price subsidy scheme (SSHP) rate from RM360 to RM500 per tonne on all padi production, effective tomorrow.
Anwar said, with the increase, padi farmers will receive at least RM1,700 per tonne of the padi they produce, thus giving them more revenue.
“This is the biggest increase in (the country’s) history. The rate was last increased when I was the finance minister a long time ago,” he said at the launch of the state-level Sentuhan Agro Madani programme here.
The prime minister said the increase will involve an annual expenditure of RM1 billion.
To address the issue of grading and classification of rice grains, Anwar said discussions will be held with the agriculture and food security ministry to deploy agricultural officers to private rice mills specifically to monitor the process and ensure manufacturers adhere to the established standards.
Anwar, who is also finance minister, said his ministry will consider increasing funding to begin the five-season padi cultivation process within two years.
“The RM3 billion (already) allocated for building waterways and related matters is not enough. We need to add more. We will try to do our best for the farmers,” he said.
At the same event, Anwar also announced RM21.8 million in aid for more than 28,000 padi farmers and planters in Perak.
