Najib wants more premises set up for selling products directly to consumers

He said this would enable the producers to earn more profit while the consumers could get fresh agro-based products at a cheaper price.

He said the 1Malaysia Agrobazaar Rakyat concept, introduced by the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry at Indera Mahkota, which offers fresh products such as vegetables, fruits, chicken, meat and fish which are cheaper by as much as 20 per cent compared to the market price, was the best model for this initiative.

"The 1Malaysia Agrobaazar Rakyat concept is the best platform that brings together the producers and consumers, that brings the farmers, fishermen and breeders together to the housewives and general public who want an outlet that offers fresh products at a minimum price," he said.

He said this when opening the 1Malaysia Agrobazaar Rakyat, at the Pahang State Farmers Organisation (Pasfa), here today which was also attended by Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The event was also attended by its deputy minister, Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, chairman of the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) Tan Sri Badruddin Amiruldin and chairman of the Board of the National Farmers Organisation (Nafas) Datuk Seri Saipolbahri Suib.

The Agrobazaar, which was created under the concept of the mini market, was to enable the farmers, breeders and fishermen to turn the outlet as a medium to merket their products without using the middlemen.

Unlike the Kedai Rangkaian 1Malaysia (KR1M) which is owned by the operating company, Agrobazaar 1Malaysia is owned by entrepreneurs and operates in the urban and suburban areas with 40 per cent of the products comprising fresh products from the farms and 60 per cent comprising agro-based industry products.

Offering more than 2,000 types of goods, the Agrobazaar Rakyat 1Malaysia also sells more than 70 per cent local products to ensure that goods produced by the local entrepreneurs received a wider market.

Najib said the concrete idea of the ministry helmed by Ismail Sabri could prevent middlemen from reaping excessive profits from the products churned out by farmers, breeders and fishermen.

"The determined efforts of the ministry aim to prevent the middlemen from exploiting the profits of the farmers. They (middlemen) control the supply chain and determine the price to the consumers.

"If we can control the supply chain, tighten it to become more efficient, we bring the products from the farm, our fishermen can bring fresh fish, then the consumers can buy at a lower price.

"Meanwhile the producers (farmers, breeders and fishermen) can receive more reasonable price for their products," he said.

The prime minister said the new concept could also help the people to tackle the problem of escalating living cost besides increasing the income of the farmers, fishermen and breeders.

"We will increase the number of agrobazaars and they will be given priority in the coming 11th Malaysia Plan," he said.

"This is proof that the present government always looks after the interest of the rakyat and I am confident and convinced if this effort can be continued the people will continue to be with the Barisan Nasional," Najib said.