KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- All padi mill operators, including Padiberas Nasional Berhad (Bernas), must obtain approval from the state Padi and Rice Regulatory Division (KPB) to extend the operating hours of their padi purchasing centres beyond 7 pm.
Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin said operators must submit formal written applications to the respective state KPB offices, with approval usually granted for operations until 8 pm.
He said the restriction was aimed at discouraging nighttime padi harvesting, as high humidity and dew formation could affect padi quality, result in higher quality deductions and reduce farmers' income.
"No special exemptions are given to any operator, including Bernas. Whether private mills or Bernas, all are subject to the same conditions if they wish to purchase padi after 7 pm," he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a supplementary question from Dr Abdul Ghani Ahmad (PN-Jerlun) on the procedures and conditions for Bernas to extend the operating hours of its padi purchasing centres beyond 7 pm, as well as comparative data on prices and payment periods between Bernas and private mills.
Elaborating, Chan said the floor price for padi was the minimum price set by the government, not the maximum, and private mills were therefore allowed to offer higher prices based on market forces.
To a supplementary question from Datuk Ewon Benedick (GRS-Penampang) on the extension of Bernas' contract as the sole rice importer and whether Sabah government would be consulted before a decision was made, Chan said the concession had four years remaining and would expire on Jan 10, 2031.
"The ministry is prepared to undertake a comprehensive study to reassess whether the concession should be extended, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security remains open to reviewing the matter.
"Further engagement with the Sabah and Sarawak governments can also be arranged, given the importance of the policy decision and the need to ensure sufficient rice supplies in both states, which currently rely heavily on imported rice," he said.
-- BERNAMA