Pasar Tani – What A Market!
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 13 (Bernama) — “Pasir Tani” (farmers’ market) that was introduced many years ago by the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama), is not just another market.
It plays an important role as an agent in promoting agro-based products and triggering interest among youths to be involved in business.
With fees ranging from RM500 to RM2,000, the traders, many of whom are farmers themselves, can sell their products directly to the public.
“The one-time payment is for the stall provided. The stall needs to be replaced only when it has been damaged and the price of a stall depends on the items put on sale,” Fama Director-General Haron A. Rahman told Bernama.
Now, Fama is thinking big. It plans not only to continue providing stalls in an organised and systematic marketplace but also to produce more Bumiputra entrepreneurs, be they graduates or ordinary farmers.
To do that, Fama introduced “Pasar Tani Mega” or Mega Farmers’ Market on Sept 19 last year and had received many applications to join the programme including from graduates.
“Fama welcomes graduates who are interested to take part in the Pasir Tani programme. The opportunity for them is still wide open. It doesn’t matter if they have no agricultural background because keen interest alone can successfully make a sale,” Haron said.
Several degree holders, who are part of the Pasar Tani community, said their takings were good and they found no difficulty in selling their products.
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) graduate Zulfa Zamzam, 31, said he joined Pasar Tani in July 2004 and found that Fama’s approach had helped him a lot in remaining active in the agriculture sector.
“Fama is not only providing the infrastructure to do business but also giving useful advice. Besides selling agriculture products, it is a station to promote products,” he said.
From Pasar Tani, Zulfa has ventured into vegetable farming and his ambition is to expand his market reach overseas.
Daneil Abdul Aziz, 25, who graduated in business administration from UPM, said he participated in Pasir Tani to market his own products.
The son of a settler of Felda Sungai Tengi Selatan in Ulu Selangor, operates a smallholding with an initial capital of RM10,000.
“I cultivate corn as well as white and Chinese yam which have high demands among the Chinese. Before this, it was hard for me to find the market but after joining Fama, the future seems brighter,” he said.
His net income monthly is between RM1,300 and RM1,500.
Telekom retiree Rosmah Taib, 50, only sells handicraft made by kampung folk at the Pasir Tani but for her, it is a genuine business and Fama has given her space to be more active in business.
Despite starting the business only a month ago, she managed to take home a good income.
Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin when launching a Pasar Tani Mega here last weekend, said 2,300 people were putting up stalls in Pasir Tani nationwide and their annual sales were estimated at RM230 million.
He also announced Fama’s plans to upgrade 232 Pasar Tani into Pasar Tani Mega and the setting up of 25 new Pasar Tani Mega this year to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the supply chain management.
Today, nine Pasar Tani Mega are in operation and by 2010, the number is expected to increase to 150.
— BERNAMA
