SHAH ALAM, Jan 31 — Farmers’ markets in the state will be reopened in phases to ensure that the standard operating procedure (SOP) will be implemented and followed by all parties throughout the duration of the movement control order (MCO).

Selangor Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Modernisation of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Committee chairman Izham Hashim said for the time being, 22 farmers’ markets out of the 48 registered in the state will be reopened to the public.

"The reopening will begin with Shah Alam Stadium farmers’ market today, InsyaAllah, we will publicise the reopening frequently to help our traders market their agricultural produce and other fresh products such as meat.

"We will reopen in phases depending on the current Covid-19 situation,” he said after inspecting the compliance of SOP at the Shah Alam Stadium farmers’ market.

Izham said farmers’ markets in the state were not allowed to operate in the past two weeks as they were reviewing the related SOP.

In other developments, Izham said RM500,000 was allocated to purchasing food baskets under the Kita Selangor package announced by Selangor Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, on Jan 20.

"The remaining RM1.5 million allocated for Kita Selangor package will be channelled in the form of stimulus packages where fishermen will be given petrol vouchers, farmers will receive aid in the form of fertilisers while livestock breeders will receive animal feed,” he said.

A total of RM2 million have been allocated to aid 10,160 farmers, fishermen and livestock breeders through the recently announced Kita Selangor package.

In addition, Izham said the state government, together with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) researchers are at the final stages of research to produce animal feed using local ingredients including hay in efforts to supply cheaper animal feed.

"We will try to complete the research as soon as possible and InsyaAllah it will be commercialised in the first quarter of this year,” he said. — Bernama