PUTRAJAYA, Oct 20 — The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry (KPKM) has implemented the new ceiling price for the Certified Paddy Seed Incentive programme in Peninsular Malaysia effective today, its minister, Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said.

The maximum ceiling price has been raised to RM40 from RM31 per 20-kilogramme (kg) sack at wholesale level and RM45 from the previous RM35 at retail level, he added.

"The adjustment does not involve any financial implication to the government,” he said at a media conference here today, adding that it would also not change the existing production, supply and distribution structure involving 12 producers, 13 wholesalers and 456 retailers nationwide.

"The adjustment will encourage the use of high-quality and disease-resistant seeds among rice farmers and curb the use of uncertified seeds in the market,” he said, sharing that the ministry was concerned about the plight of farmers over the difficulty in procuring seeds and prices reaching up to RM50.

He said that the government decided to raise the floor price of rice from RM1,200 per metric ton to RM1,300 as part of the Budget 2024 on October 13, which is expected to impact the price of rice especially seeds.

Mohamad said that his ministry also expects the rise in paddy seeds to affect the cost of seed production, including those under the incentive programme, making the existing ceiling price of RM35 per 20kg sack unfeasible.

Media outlets reported that farmers in Kedah had complained about difficulties in obtaining paddy seeds at affordable prices as they begin the rice planting process at the end of this month. — Bernama