MDEC urges chilli farmers to use DuitNow service

The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has urged chilli farmers to use the 'DuitNow' service to facilitate the sale and purchase of their produce to enable them to get paid immediately, without having to wait a long time.

Its chief executive officer, Surina Shukri said chilli farmers used to wait for at least three days before getting their payments at the agricultural produce collection centres.

"However, with this service, they can get their payments directly or immediately through bank accounts by using only their identity cards," she told reporters after launching a programme to intensify the use of digital technology in the agriculture industry in Shah Alam yesterday.

Surina said with the adoption of the cashless payment method, the collection centres could reduce their operating costs.

"Besides speeding up payments, its usage can reduce operating costs, whereby the collection centres do not have to waste time processing payments, including issuing cheques to chilli farmers," she said.

MDEC would ensure that those involved in the agriculture sector would participate and not miss the country’s digital age, Surina added.

Meanwhile, Farmers’ Organisation Authority director-general Azulita Salim said the agency is targeting 50,000 chilli farmers nationwide to register for the DuitNow service by year-end.

"So far about 420 chilli farmers from the Kuala Langat Area Farmers Organisation are in the process of signing up for the DuitNow service in collaboration with CIMB Bank and becoming the pioneers of its usage,” she said.

- Bernama