ALOR SETAR (June 12): The Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) is prepared to give guidance especially to padi farmers in an effort to lift them out of poverty.

Its director-general Datuk Ahmad Ishak said FAMA welcomed Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's proposal to overcome the problem by using modern farming methods, apart from the introduction of cash crops to reduce dependence on rice production.

"The Government has given serious attention to crop cultivation and the farmers have been encouraged to plant short-term crops such as watermelons, sweet corn and vegetables.

"FAMA will assist in marketing the products as well as in identifying and recommending the kinds of crops suitable to different types of soil," he said.

He was commenting on Tun Dr Mahathir’s statement on the issue of poverty among farmers and their over-dependence on rice yields.