Lots for the disabled to trade at farmers’ market

Tuesday May 4, 2010

Lots for the disabled to trade at farmers’ market

JOHOR BARU: Disabled people who want to try their hands in business can apply for licences to trade at pasar tani nationwide.

Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) chairman Datuk Badruddin Amiruldin said the organisation was planning to give those who were disabled a chance to learn about trading.

“The opening of special trading lots for them will be a good portal for the disabled to be more independent and make a living for themselves.

“By giving them a place to trade, they will also have the opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship and trading,” he said.

Service first: Recipients of the Fama Long Service Award posing for a group photograph with Badruddin after the ceremony in Johor Baru.

He was speaking to pressmen after presenting the Fama Long Service Award, which recognises those who have been working in the organisation for between 20 and 30 years. The ceremony was held at a hotel here yesterday.

Badruddin also warned those who were using foreign labour in their businesses to stop doing so.

“Recently, one trader was caught using foreign labour while trading in one of the pasar tani and that is against the Fama contract.

“I advise those who are still using foreign help to stop at once because if caught, their licences will be revoked,” he said.

He encouraged traders to employ local workers to help them at their stalls at the pasar tani.

“This way, the workers can learn the ups and downs of the trade and hopefully one day, they themselves will have their own business too,” he said.

He disclosed that Fama aimed to increase the number of pasar tani in the country to 400.

“There are 364 pasar tani to-date with a total of 17,300 traders. We aim to open another 36 by the end of this year,” he said.

He added that the agency was targetting 20,000 people to be involved in pasar tani activities by the end of the year