KUALA LUMPUR: Local farmers’ markets are developing rapidly after recording sales of RM244.6 million at 223 locations throughout the country involving 8,542 entrepreneurs.
Federal Agricultural and Marketing Authority (FAMA) director-general Abdul Rashid Bahri said when farmers’ markets were set up in 1985, there were only 12 involving 317 participants with annual sales of RM1.4 million.
“In 39 years, farmers’ markets have gone through several phases, the introduction phase (1985 to 1994), the consolidation phase (1995 to 2003), the modernisation phase (2004 to 2010), the transformational phase (2011 to 2020) and the digitalisation phase (2021 till present).
“FAMA aims to open 14 new farmers’ markets, upgrade 40 existing markets and achieve sales of RM200 million,” he said in a statement yesterday.
The first farmers’ market was launched at the Tampoi FAMA complex’s cold room in Johor Bahru on Jan 31, 1985 by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who was Agricultural Minister at that time, he said, adding that FAMA is celebrating its 39th anniversary and host national celebrations at the Putrajaya Farmers’ Market.
“Farmers’ markets have developed vastly and remain relevant as the market of choice for consumers and are successful marketing outlets that contribute to the development of the national economy.
“The setting up of the farmers’ markets have created a responsive generation of farmers and has spent up the socio-economic development of the agricultural community in line with the National Agrofood Policy,” Abdul Rashid said.
He also shared that the Agro MADANI Sales till Jan 21, 2024 recorded RM4.4 million in sales, involving 4,120 entrepreneurs and benefited 324,000 households. – BERNAMA
