PASIR SALAK, Jan 9 — The Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) has given its assurance that essential perishables including chicken at farmers’ markets nationwide are sold at reasonable prices to avoid burdening consumers.
Its chairman, Datuk Mohd Fasiah Mohd Fakeh said traders and entrepreneurs under FAMA could market their agricultural produce directly to farmers’ markets to enable these items to be sold at cheaper prices.
He said by selling directly from farms, the traders and entrepreneurs could exclude middlemen who made about 20 to 30 per cent of the selling prices all these while.
“If possible, we are hoping to source directly from farms for sale at the farmers’ markets under FAMA. For example, the prices can drop RM6 to RM7 a kilogramme if we source supplies like chicken directly from farms,” he said.
He said this to reporters after making a working visit to the Kampung Gajah My Rakyat and Permanent Farmers’ Market (PTK) here today.
Meanwhile, Mohd Fasiah said the RM2.6 million Kampung Gajah PTK would become operational next March, from 7 am to 6 pm, with 91 units, namely, 14 wet units, 70 dry units and seven units for the food court.
He said the Kampung Gajah PTK was expected to generate RM11 million in economic activity in the first year of operation.
He said 90 per cent of the traders at the PTK were from the Perak Tengah district with the relocation of all the participants from the Kampung Gajah Public Market.
There are two other PTK in the state, namely, in Manjung and Lekir, which have been operational for the past several years while the Kuala Kangsar PTK is expected to be operating fully in 2023.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency