40 minutes
PARIT BUNTAR: The National Farmers Organisation (NAFAS) was urged to set up a Farmers Bank to facilitate a million farmers to obtain loans to further develop the agricultural industry, especially paddy cultivation.
Perak Farmers Organisation (PPN) chairman Datuk Nadzri Ismail said PPN and the Area Farmers Organisation (PPK) would also support to set up the bank which would benefit all parties.
“We are asking NAFAS to take immediate action towards establishing a bank to cater for the needs of farmers as the paddy and rice industry is growing,” he told Bernama after officiating the Bagan Tiang/ Parit Buntar Area Farmers’ Organisation’s 41st Annual General Meeting at Dewan Merdeka here today.
He was commenting on the proposal made by Bagan Tiang/ Parit Buntar PPK chairman, Abdullah Saleh who proposed the establishment of the Farmers Bank, adding that farmers could also invest their shares into the bank as was done by Coop Bank (Cooperative Bank) members before this.
Nadzri also noted that the state-level Paddy and Rice Industry Committee would hold a meeting with Perak Public Utilities, Infrastructure, Agriculture and Plantation Committee chairman Abdul Yunus Jamhari on July 11 to discuss the rice and paddy industry in Perak.
According to Nadzri, the meeting, among others would discuss on the restrictions imposed on paddy sales from Perak to other states which were burdensome to farmers.
Meanwhile, Abdullah said Bagan Tiang/Parit Buntar PPK had purchased 21.2 hectares of land in Tebing Tinggi for oil palm plantation projects.
According to him, the oil palm plantation project is over two years old and can be harvested next year. — Bernama
