JOHOR BARU, Sept 19 — The Farmers Agriculture Marketing Authority (Fama) and The Johor Farmers Organisation (PPNJ) will supply 80 tonnes of rice (local) to overcome the shortage of local rice in the state.

State Agriculture, Agro-Based Industry and Rural Development Committee chairman Datuk Zahari Sarip said the move to intervene in the supply of local rice would be done in stages effective yesterday until the end of the week.

Zahari added that the staple food supply would be distributed to four centres, namely Johor Bahru, Simpang Renggam, Batu Pahat and Tangkak.

"We are certainly facing challenges in supplying local rice...(however), the state government is initiating several programmes to assist the people, whereby activities and initiatives carried out by the Federal Government will continue to be adopted at the state level,” he told reporters after attending the 2023 State Progressive Peladangnita Madani Economy Course at PPNJ, here today.

Zahari said the state government has also planned various initiatives to ensure the shortage of rice does not prolong.

He added that there are 900 farmers involved in paddy planting covering an area of 2,254 hectares in 10 locations in the state.

The locations comprise Tangkak (842.97 hectares), Muar (364.22 hectares); Mersing (549.38 hectares); Batu Pahat (141.70 hectares) and Kluang (356.12 hectares).

"During the 2021 and 2022 paddy harvest season, Johor produced 6,225 metric tonnes of rice which was a 30.1 per cent increase in yield compared to the previous years,” he said.

He added that though Johor is not categorised as a major rice producing state (rice bowl), the state government continues to be focused on carrying out various initiatives and programmes to increase the productivity of rice in the state. — Bernama