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Farmers plead for diesel subsidy amid rising costs
🇲🇾 Malaysia /Economy & Trade

Farmers plead for diesel subsidy amid rising costs

From Utusan Malaysia · (2d ago) Malay Critical tone

Translated from Malay, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Agricultural machinery operators in Kedah, Malaysia, are appealing to the government to consider providing subsidized diesel ahead of the upcoming planting season.
  • They fear that without subsidies, they will be forced to double rental costs for farmers, significantly increasing the burden on the agricultural community.
  • The rising fuel costs are a major concern for operators, impacting their ability to provide services affordably.

Agricultural machinery operators in Kedah are sounding the alarm over the escalating costs associated with farming, particularly the price of diesel fuel. As the first planting season of 2026 approaches at the end of April, these entrepreneurs, who are also farmers themselves, are urging the government to reconsider the provision of subsidized diesel. Their plea stems from a genuine concern that the current trajectory of fuel prices will inevitably lead to a substantial increase in the cost of essential services they provide.

Abdul Manaf Don, a 63-year-old agricultural machinery entrepreneur and farmer from Tok Keling, Alor Setar, highlighted the pressing issue while observing his assistant operating a tiller in his paddy field. The sentiment is echoed by many in the industry who fear that they will have no choice but to pass on the increased operational costs to the farmers. This could potentially mean doubling the rental fees for machinery, a move that would place a significant financial strain on the farming community, many of whom operate on tight margins.

Mohd. Amirul Idris, a 39-year-old tractor owner, expressed the widespread confusion and anxiety among his peers. The rising cost of fuel is not just a minor inconvenience; it represents a fundamental challenge to their business model and their ability to serve the agricultural sector. The uncertainty surrounding fuel prices and the potential need to increase service costs create a precarious situation for both the machinery operators and the farmers who rely on their services to cultivate their land.

The appeal for subsidized diesel is therefore not merely a request for financial assistance but a call for government intervention to ensure the continued viability of agricultural operations in Kedah. Without such support, the ripple effect of increased costs could impact food production and the livelihoods of countless individuals within the agricultural ecosystem.

The cost of tilling paddy fields is RM800 per hectare?

— HeadlineImplies a significant increase in the cost of agricultural services.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Utusan Malaysia in Malay. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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