In a bid to regulate the prices of vegetables and fruits by reducing the involvement of middlemen, the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) announces plans to intensify the Khidmat Pemasaran Ladang Kontrak (KPLK) (Contract Farm Marketing Service) Programme. Abd Rahman Mahmood, the Deputy Director-General of Operations at FAMA, revealed that the move aims to enhance direct marketing channels for farmers, ultimately benefiting both producers and consumers.
According to Bernama, Abd Rahman stated that 3,232 participants have enrolled in the KPLK nationwide, with an annual target of adding 1,000 new participants.
He emphasised the importance of encouraging more farmers to register with FAMA, highlighting that participants in the KPLK act as producers, directly marketing their products through authorized agencies and to entrepreneurs.
Speaking at a press conference during his visit to the Agro MADANI sale at the Rural Transformation Centre (RTC) in Tunjong, Abd Rahman explained that an increased number of participants in the KPLK program would contribute to better price control for vegetables and fruits.
“The KPLK aims to curb the involvement of middlemen, and that’s why we want more farmers to register with FAMA and other agencies. This will enable us to collect data on crop yields and market prices,” Mahmood stated.
Despite the program’s potential benefits, challenges persist, as some farmers hesitate to become KPLK participants due to non-compliance with cultivation standards.
Abd Rahman urged farmers to adhere to these standards, emphasizing that it would lead to more effective price regulation and a fairer distribution of income within the agricultural supply chain.
As FAMA continues to champion the KPLK program, the agricultural landscape anticipates positive shifts that will not only empower farmers but also contribute to stabilising the prices of essential produce for consumers across the nation.
