There will be 2.4 million 10kg bags of subsidised local rice available in the market from March 1, targeted at poor and hard-core poor households.
Agriculture and Food Security Ministry deputy secretary-general Datuk Badrul Hisham Mohd told the media on Feb 25 that this marks the start of the government's RM150mil targeted subsidy programme to ensure affordable local rice for the targeted groups.
Read more at https://tinyurl.com/5b8bjzk5
WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news
SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar
LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline
Agriculture and Food Security Ministry deputy secretary-general Datuk Badrul Hisham Mohd told the media on Feb 25 that this marks the start of the government's RM150mil targeted subsidy programme to ensure affordable local rice for the targeted groups.
Read more at https://tinyurl.com/5b8bjzk5
WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news
SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar
LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline
Category
š
NewsTranscript
00:00The government has announced an intervention with a special subsidy of RM150 million for six months.
00:14In my opinion, in the Ministry, we have a complete implementation mechanism.
00:20I can say that we are sure that by using this mechanism, this program will provide a win-win situation to all industrialists,
00:31from farmers to consumers.
00:3450% of the paddy traded in the market, we expect to be able to produce around 240,000 m3 of subsidized BPT.
00:43First, BPT must be produced.
00:46And the BPT production is produced from paddy sold by the farmers at a minimum price of RM1,500.
00:53So every investor needs to get a supply of paddy from the farmers at a minimum price of RM1,500.
01:01And they can buy more than the minimum price.
01:04Actually, we do not set a ceiling price.
01:06So it is up to the negotiation between the buyers and the farmers.
01:10They can get a sufficient supply of paddy.
01:12From the losers, the paddy or rice will be transferred to the borrower.
01:16And the borrower will take the rice.
01:18From 240,000 m3, we expect around 24 million bags of white rice per 10 kg.
01:27And the government's control price is still RM26.
01:31For every 10 kg of white rice per place.
01:35With subsidies.
01:36All this rice will be produced by the borrower, the loser.
01:42After the production, they will use the available distribution channels.
01:48Organically, all this rice will be sold in the available outlets in the market.
01:53And the government is ready to make interventions for special programs.
01:58Including the sale of paddy, the sale of paddy fields, the need for cooperation, etc.
02:0420% of the total.
02:06Which means around 48 million bags will be distributed using the mechanisms implemented by the government.
02:14But the remaining 80% will use the available platforms.
02:18The available distribution channels.
02:19You can go to the supermarket, you can go to the supermarket, you can get BPT.
02:22But every BPT, every bag will be controlled.
02:26Using the special methods that we use today.
02:31I don't need to elaborate on this.
02:33But there are two layers of control.
02:35First, the rice distribution channels on my right.
02:37We have the rice distribution channels.
02:39And now we have MARIA.
02:41Which was just established and approved by the Cabinet on February 7th.
02:46And they are ready to use the power of 1,200 members to help the government.
02:53So we believe that with that capacity,
02:55plus the AI system that we use to do tracing and tracking,
02:59ARTEC or RISETEC,
03:01we are confident that this subsidy will directly go to the target group.
03:06Who is the target group?
03:08Based on our estimates,
03:11currently in Malaysia, we have around 400,000 poor households.
03:16Embedded in the 400,000 poor households,
03:20is 77,000 poor households.
03:24Where they need accessibility and affordability to the rice that they can harvest.
03:29So this RM26 rice is actually for them.
03:32So we will ensure that all the rice bags that we produce,
03:36all the 24 million rice bags,
03:39will go directly to the target group.
03:42When will the program start?
03:44The program will officially start on March 1st, 2025.
03:48On the first day of Ramadan.
03:50And it will end on August 31st, 2025.
03:54Is there any plan to buy the rice?
03:58Good question.
03:59Usually when the subsidy is cheap, you will do the manipulation.
04:03First, my team has established a control mechanism.
04:07Second, we will issue a directive to the rice producers,
04:11to limit the purchase.
04:13For now, we will consider
04:15for every purchase,
04:17for every housewife,
04:18maybe only two bags maximum.
04:20That is the type of control that we can do.
04:22But then, in the end,
04:23that is why I ask everyone to understand,
04:26this is government assistance to help those in need.
04:29Not to be traded,
04:31not to be traded.
04:32So if there is that element,
04:33my team will not be silent.