Vegetable growers in Cameron Highlands said land leases of at least 30 years should be provided, so that farmers can invest in technology and more modern methods of farming.
More allocations of subsidised diesel should also be provided as the fuel is essential for the power generators, water pumps, and vehicles in remote farms, said the Cameron Highlands Vegetable Growers Association deputy president Lau Weng Soow.
Livestock farmers also called for greater government support, especially in implementing a modern poultry farming system, and for clearer guidelines on tax incentives promised in the 2023 budget.
The lack of guidelines meant that livestock farmers could not make use of the incentives to improve their operations, said Jeffrey Ng, the adviser of the Federation of Livestock Farmers’ Association.
The two associations said government support was crucial to ensure food security and reduce dependence on reliance on imported food.
Lau said many farmers currently operate on temporary leases, making them reluctant to invest in technology and innovation. “Long-term leases, for at least 30 years, would give farmers the security needed to adopt modern methods,” he told FMT.
On diesel allocations, he said: “It’s frustrating to see luxury car owners getting more subsidies than us.” Lau, a second-generation farmer, said farmers were in a tight spot from rising costs of farming essentials coupled with price controls on produce.
The 2024 budget did not provide any diesel subsidy for farmers, but the government later introduced cash aid of RM200 per month to mitigate the impact of fuel costs.
Ng said it was the fervent hope of livestock farmers that they would be provided guidelines on the tax incentives “right away so we can comply and obtain these incentives”.
Among the tax incentives promised in the 2023 budget were a 100% tax exemption for 10 years for new food production projects and a 100% accelerated capital allowance and tax exemption for chicken rearers using eco-friendly systems.
He hoped there would be incentives in the 2025 budget for more poultry farms to convert to a closed-door system.
Radin Firdaus Badaruddin, a food security researcher at Universiti Sains Malaysia, said the government must look into food affordability and nutritional issues in the budget.
Citing Mydin’s recent report of a 5% to 7% drop in retail food sales, Radin said the budget should consider expanding the MyKasih food aid programme which provides targeted cashless payments to the underprivileged.
He also called for more funds to enhance the supplementary food plan.