CORONAVIRUS | The Sarawak government has spent RM90,000 to buy 39 tonnes of agricultural produce including fruits and vegetables from 30 farmers to solve the problem of vegetable dumping in the state, as of April 11.

State Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Assistant Minister Abdul Rahman Ismail said the amount was part of the RM2.3 million special assistance allocation for farmers and fishermen during the movement control order (MCO).

"The ministry, in collaboration with the Sarawak Agriculture Department, 28 Area Farmers' Associations and the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama), will purchase the rest of the farm produce for sale to consumers,” he said in a statement here, today.

He said to ensure the continuity of the food supply chain in Sarawak, the farmers' associations played a proactive role as wholesalers in balancing the market supply and demand in the state.

"The farmers’ associations in collaboration with Fama also organised a strategic ‘Direct Sales From the Farm’ programme for the purpose of marketing agricultural products to the public and wholesalers,” he said.

Abdul Rahman said the Sarawak government was also planning to work with the farmers’ associations and the private sector to start online marketing and home delivery.

For fishermen, he said the state government had allocated RM600,000 to implement the purchase programme for fishing catches, thereby assisting in marketing the catches of fishermen.

- Bernama

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