Wholesale mart to open next month (The Star)

Thursday July 22, 2010

THE National Food Terminal (Teman) in Simpang Pulai near Ipoh will begin operation next month.

State Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority (FAMA) director Basri Jasmo said all wholesale activities would be conducted from the terminal.

“Be it livestock, vegetables and flowers from all over the country, you can find it here,” he told reporters yesterday, adding that products from overseas would also be available at Teman.

The products in Teman, he said, would be ready packed following FAMA 3P ruling, adding that the Ps stood for pengredan (grading), pembungkusan (packaging) and penglabelan (labelling).

Asked on the fate of the wholesale market in Falim, Basri said traders would be allowed to continue trading there.

“But we hope they will trade at Teman where 300 lots have been allocated for them,” he said, noting that traders at the Falim market could start applying for the trading lots at Teman now.

On the advantage of trading at Teman, Basri said FAMA had devised a system where farmers and wholesalers would know the price of the goods sold nationwide.

“Complaints of any party being short changed will not arise with this system,” he said.

On a separate matter, Basri said FAMA would have its 25th anniversary celebration for pasar tani at the Perak Stadium this Saturday from 7am. Among the activities to be held are a cooking demonstration, health checks and colouring contests.