SIBU, A total of 29 baby corn farmers in the Nangka state constituency have received RM290,000 in pesticide and fertilizer assistance from the Sarawak government.
State assemblyman Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee said the assistance was to help increase the productivity and income of 28 recipients from Rumah Bungan and one recipient from Rumah Dick, which is the largest supplier of the vegetable in the Sibu market.
“They received pesticides and fertilizers worth RM10,000 per person which is enough for a year’s use. We expect that with this help they can increase their production,” said Sarawak’s Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development after presenting the assistance at Rumah Bungan, 14km from here today.
According to Dr Annuar, the government will monitor and conduct a study on the impact of the aid to determine if it can really increase the recipient’s income.
At this time, the recipients are cultivating their respective maize crops on 0.202 hectare site each involving a total of approxima
tely 5.86 hectares.
“They are able to earn around RM2,000 to RM3,000 a month and with this help we hope they will be able to increase their income to around RM3,000 to RM4,000 a month,” he said.
According to Dr Annuar, the increase in income is not solely dependent on the aid of pesticides and fertilizers.
He said, through the study, he wants to see if the marketing of agricultural produce could be improved to further increase the income margin of aid recipients.
“Until now, they rely on middlemen who then take their products to supermarkets and hotels.
“What if the JKKK committee of this house set up a sales committee to sell this product directly to supermarkets or hotels? In this way, their margins will increase compared to now,” he said, adding that he himself would meet with supermarkets and hotels for that purpose.
He said the success of the aid was important because it was in line with the Sarawak Government’s goal to increase household income to RM6,000 a month by 2030.
Source: BERNAMA News Ag
ency
