Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar has called for closer collaboration between State and Federal departments and agencies to strengthen the development of Sabah’s agriculture, fisheries, livestock and agri-food sectors for the benefit of farmers and rural communities.
Jamawi said the objective was not to create competition between agencies but to encourage them to complement one another by sharing their respective expertise, facilities and resources.
“We are not here to compete but to complement one another. Some facilities may not be available within State agencies but are provided by Federal agencies, and vice versa,” he told reporters after a meet-and-greet programme with agencies under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) in Sabah.
He said facilities such as laboratories for nutrient analysis, fruit processing training, and fish processing into products such as nuggets, fish balls and fish cakes should be shared to benefit farmers and agropreneurs.
Following the engagement session, agencies under the Sabah Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry (Maffi) and KPKM agreed to strengthen cooperation to ensure their facilities, expertise and services are fully utilised by farmers, fishermen, livestock breeders and rural communities.
Agricultural and fisheries products requiring nutrient analysis could also be tested before being marketed.
On another matter, Jamawi reiterated the Sabah Government’s opposition to implementing the Budi MySubsidi Diesel mechanism unless improvements are made to reflect the State’s unique circumstances.
He said the matter was discussed at the State Cabinet meeting two weeks ago, where members agreed implementation should be deferred until the Federal Government considers Sabah’s proposed improvements.
Among the proposals are solutions to vehicle ownership issues involving first and second borrowers, as well as hire-purchase arrangements that do not meet bank loan requirements. The proposals received unanimous support from both Government and Opposition State Assembly members.
“We have given the Ministry of Finance two to three weeks to respond, and I am confident there will be a new announcement within that period,” he said.
Jamawi said many farmers in Sabah would be adversely affected if the current mechanism is implemented without improvements.
He said an earlier engagement with stakeholders in the paddy industry found that farm machinery operators are ineligible for the diesel subsidy, increasing operating costs by between RM50 and RM80 per hectare. As a result, some farmers have delayed planting, raising concerns over Sabah’s efforts to improve its rice self-sufficiency level (SSL).
“We are working to increase Sabah’s rice SSL, but the Budi MySubsidi Diesel issue could discourage farmers from continuing cultivation.
“In Peninsula Malaysia, farmers receive RM1.50 per kilogramme for paddy, while Sabah farmers receive RM1.30. We want Sabah farmers to receive the same price.
“Farmers in Peninsular Malaysia also receive a RM50 harvesting subsidy and RM1,500 per tonne for paddy. Sabah farmers deserve equal treatment.
“Imported white rice receives subsidies, so locally produced white rice should also be subsidised. This is a matter of fairness for Sabah’s rice farmers,” he said.
Jamawi added that proposals discussed during the paddy industry engagement session, involving the Sabah Department of Agriculture, the Sabah State Paddy and Rice Board, the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, the Paddy Regulatory Division, IADA Kota Belud, the Farmers’ Organisation Authority (LPP), Bernas and other agencies, would be submitted to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
He said the proposals are intended to ensure that federal paddy policies better reflect Sabah’s needs while strengthening the State’s future rice production.
