FAMA TO ESTABLISH PERMANENT FARMERS' MARKET IN EACH STATE

SEREMBAN (Malaysia), May 5 (Bernama) -- The Federal Agricultural Marketing
Authority (FAMA) is to establish at least one permanent farmers' market in each
state under the 10th Malaysia Plan.

FAMA senior director(entrepreneur development) Abd Wahid Mat Radzi said the
farmers' market would be in a building to enable participants to trade daily.

"At present, we have three permanent farmers' market's in Jerantut, Pahang
and Bukit Gambir (Johor) built last year while that in Yan (Kedah) was opened on
this April 1," he told reporters after a meeting with the chairman and members
of the southern state of Negeri Sembilan farmers' market committee here Monday
night.

He also said that among the states that have a permanent farmers' market
site are Negeri Sembilan and Selangor. The southern state of Johor has also an
additional location for the farmers' market in its capital city, Johor Bahru.

FAMA, he explained, was looking at the other states and hoped to find a
suitable site to be turned into the permanent farmers' market.

Abd Wahid said the participants of the permanent farmers' market would be
those with the ability as well as sufficient capital, to enable them to
undertake trading daily.

He highlighted that to date, there were 332 farmers' markets throughout the
country with 15,000 participants, including 1,270 graduates.

"We have provided a job opportunity here for our graduates who view this
business as a source of income. We hope that more graduates will participate in
this farmers' market programme.

"This is why, under the programme we also invite graduates to undergo a
course to grab this marketing opportunity or to do business. They can also
udertake other business activities.

"FAMA will focus on those graduates keen in this form of business," he said.

Meanwhile, he disclosed that at present FAMA had three wholesale farmers'
markets in Selayang involving 53 participants, in Puchong (41) and in Yan (23).
-- BERNAMA