Willie (left) accompanied by Philip at the press conference. Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
KUCHING (Dec 22): The government should consider giving incentives to encourage the younger generation to engage in the agriculture and farming sectors, said Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Willie Mongin.
He said it was indisputable that the country is currently facing the issue of aging farmers in various plantation and agriculture sectors.
“The aging farmers are no longer able to carry out their work on fields and orchards. But today’s younger generation are not interested in 3D jobs — namely those that are dirty, dangerous and difficult.
“In order to solve this problem, I believe that if they are given incentives by the government to grow crops, like pepper, and when the prices of commodities increase, we do not have to ask them,” he told a press conference after officiating the Malaysia Pepper Board Excellence Awards at a hotel here today.
He acknowledged that the low price of commodities such as pepper these days have caused many to be disinterested in the agriculture sector.
“The price of black pepper is within the range of RM8 to RM10 per kilo while white pepper is priced at RM15 per kilo, causing many not to be interested in taking up the planting of this crop.
“As such, this has led to a lack of manpower and aging farmers. There is also the factor of high maintenance of agricultural input such as fertilizer, poison and so on,” he said.
The Puncak MP suggested that the young generation be encouraged to get involved in the downstream sector.
“Perhaps we can invite big companies to open big farms and maybe the youths can work with them on a monthly salary basis and so on.
He said though this has been discussed at the ministerial level, so far his ministry has yet to come up with a formula or strategy that is sustainable and effective.
“However, we at the ministry level are focused on overseeing this issue,” he added.
Meanwhile, when asked to comment on Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg’s directive to the State Financial Secretary Office to come up with a formula on certain jobs to be allocated to the Bumiputeras, Willie said he welcomed the proposal as it would look into the welfare and participation of the Bumiputera community.
“At the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities, we have agencies that are involved in farming activities such as rubber, cocoa, pepper, oil palm, tobacco and kenaf.
“From the national budget, the government has allocated millions of ringgit to help new plantations as well as the maintenance of farms and existing crops. Apart from that, the government also offers grants for downstream products to enable us to promote them,” he said.
However, he pointed out that even with the government providing assistances, the Bumiputera community must not adopt a wait-and-see attitude.
“We cannot help them if that’s the case. There must be synergy between the government’s policies and the Bumiputera community’s spirit to advance themselves.
“Even if we give them grants and assistances, if this group does not put in the effort, then we cannot succeed,” he said.
Also present at the press conference was Malaysia Pepper Board (MPB) director general Philip Gaweng.
The post Incentivise agricultural sector to attract young blood, Willie urges state govt appeared first on Borneo Post Online.