JERLUN: Farmers are urging padi harvester operators to review their proposal to increase the rental rate of machines from RM140 to RM200 for a row (0.30ha) of padi crops so as not to burden them.
Farmer Fisol Omar, 61, from Alor Biak here said the rental rate increase was very sudden and does not take the actual cost into account.
He said the increase should not happen, adding that he was disappointed because the increase in the cost of rental of up to RM60 per 0.3ha on the grounds of an increase in the price of fuel and spare parts was not justified.
“It’s unreasonable, as rice farmers are now plagued with padi diseases ... which cause yield declines of up to 80%,” he told reporters in Kubang Sepat here.
Mohtar Bakar, 64, from Kampung Telok Jawa, on the other hand, said the increase in the rental of harvesting machinery was absurd and he hoped that it would not be finalised until a detailed study was done.
“The increase in fuel for one row is RM16, so if the machine’s rent is RM130 plus RM16, it’s now RM146. For us, the increase was made without proper calculation,” he said.
