A GOVERNMENT programme to supply farmers with rice seeds has shackled the growers to a monopoly, forcing them into debt from having to pay higher prices for grains of lower quality, a documentary revealed.

“Petani bukan pemalas” (Farmers are not lazy), directed by activist Nur Fitri Amir Muhammad, follows the life of farmer Azhar Hashim in Bagan Serai, Perak, who recounts the problems with Skim Benih Padi Sah (SBPS).

In an interview with The Malaysian Insight, Azhar said the seeds supplied by the government did not produce better yield than the seeds cultivated by the farmers.

“Farmers should be allowed to use their own rice seeds instead of those supplied under the scheme which are of lower quality,” Azhar said.

Yet the government issue seeds cost more, he said, forcing farmers into debt.

Faced with such problems since the scheme was introduced in 2009, some padi farmers have turned to cultivating their own seed varieties.

“I have an 18-acre padi field. For one acre, we need four 20kg bags of padi seeds.

“We have to buy a lot of seeds but the seeds from SPBP are not of good quality. The seeds come mixed with rice husks, grass seeds and immature seeds.

“On the bag, the label states that the germination rate is 80% but it never is. So we buy the seeds at a loss,” said the 52-year-old Azhar, who has been growing padi since he was a teenager.

Azhar farms land he owns as well as leases.

After successfully developing his own rice seeds in the last three years, he now feels confident about rejecting the supply from SBPS.

So far, he has not been disappointed in his own seeds, which give better yield.

“The idea of cultivating your own seeds is not new. I’ve learnt of it since the 1980s and I’ve also taught others how to do it. With your own seeds, the padi ripens faster and quality is better.

“The yield is much better. What you soak is what will germinate.

“Overall, the potential for higher income using our own seeds is better than using SPBP’s,” said the father of six.

SPBP supplies padi seeds to farmers as part of a quality certification programme.

However, Azhar said supply was problematic because the rice seeds were distributed by cartels.

For example, a 2kg bag of seeds costs RM28 at the factory, but farmers have to pay up to RM40 for the same amount of seeds to agents on the SPBP scheme.

Farmers are not barred from buying directly from the factory, but there seems to be some sort of arrangement whereby seed manufacturers always say they do not have enough stock.

“When the factory says it has run out of stock, it offers to sell us at a higher price. If farmers are in debt to them, then they raise the selling price further to RM50 per bag, to cover the debt.”

By cultivating his own seeds, Azhar said he cannot produce as high a volume of seeds for replanting, but he can still save on costs.

“For 10 acres, I need 40 bags. So if I can produce 30 bags of seeds myself, I only need to buy the balance from the factory.

“You save money because you don’t buy all the seeds from the factory.”

Azhar said he earned about RM3,600 for every acre of padi he grew, half of which paid for the operational costs.

Using his own padi seeds, however, has allowed him to cut costs.

“I can save more than RM1,000 (per acre) by producing my own seeds. The government needs to encourage farmers to produce their own seeds by providing training and education.

“By making your own seeds, you can ensure quality control by separating healthy seeds from bad ones.

Azhar’s story is told in the short film, which is an entry in the 18th Freedom Film Festival.

Director Nur Fitri, who is a member of the Pertubuhan Persaudaraan Pesawah Malaysia, said he wanted to reveal the problems faced by padi farmers.

“I also want to show that farmers are not lazy as some people think. They start working before office hours and take a break at 11am or 12pm. Then they continue working at 2pm, till after 5pm.

“Because the community does not understand how they work, many people think it is the farmers’ attitude that keeps them poor.”

Nur Fitri, who won a grant to produce his short film, said the farmers were exploited.

“This exploitation is what prevents farmers from developing and improving.

“The system for farmers needs to be changed and they must have the courage to assert their rights,” said Nur Fitri.

He hoped his film would encourage farmers not to give up and to continue researching seed cultivation and growing methods to get better results.

The film was shot in Bagan Serai.

Petani Bukan Pemalas is among the film entries to be screened at the festival starting Friday. – December 9, 2020.