By Zulkiple Ibrahim

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 (Bernama) -- Almost 30 years have passed since the Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority (Fama) introduced the 'Pasar Tani' or Farmers' Bazaar concept.

Now numerous of such bazaars have dotted the country's landscape and Pasar Tani has become the way of life for many Malaysians.

According to Fama's records, the first Pasar Tani established was that located at Larkin in Johor Baharu on Jan 31, 1985. Now there are 309 Pasar Tani nationwide.

Johor is the state that has the highest number of Pasar Tani at 57 followed by Selangor (55), Pahang (32), Sarawak (27), Negeri Sembilan (26), Sabah (21), Perak (20), Kedah, Kelantan and Melaka (17 each), Federal Territory (10), Perlis and Terengganu (eight each) and Pulau Pinang (four).

According to news reports, Fama plans to have about 500 Pasar Tani by the year end.

Usually, the bazaar operates once a week either on any of the weekdays or weekend. However there is a number that now operate daily.

Most of the Pasar Tani operate from 7am to 12 noon (8am-12 noon/2pm), but there are some that do business from 1pm to 7pm and between 3pm/4pm and 9pm/10pm.

For Pasar Tani Mega like that in Putrajaya and Seremban Highway Rest and Recreation stopover (both the north and south bound), the operating hours are from 10am until 10pm.

NO FAR FROM HOME

For Ida Ali, the presence of a Pasar Tani near her home in Bandar Tasik Puteri gives her much convenience as she need not spend time to look for fresh daily essentials from the wet market.

"The Pasar Tani concept is ideal and very convenient for working mothers like me as the wet market and hypermarket are located some distance away from neighbourhood," said the mother of three.

Ida said she can buy products that are not available in other markets such as the traditional food like 'nasi ambang' as well as various 'sayur kampung', ulam and pickles. There are also a lot of freshwater fish apart from fresh chicken, beef and mutton.

Rahman Hamad, a teacher who stays in the same housing estate, Pasar Tani enables consumers to buy fresh agriculture produce at fair price.

"In this neighbourhood, there are actually three Pasar Tani sites, offering much convenience and options for consumers," he said.

Rahman is a regular patron at the Pasar Tani at Bandar Tasik Puteri that operates from 4pm to 10pm on Monday.

"If a need arises, I can go to the nearby Pasar Tani at Bandar Country Home that opens from 4pm to 10pm every Thursday. On Sunday morning, there is another Pasar Tani at Bukit Rahman Putra," he said.

AGRICULTURE PRODUCE

According to Fama, the Pasar Tani concept is to enable farmers and fishermen to market their agriculture produce direct to the consumers without having to go through the middleman.

Hence, Pasar Tani has turned into an important marketing channel for the producers.

What makes Pasar Tani so successful among the public?

It is due to its 'mobility' and the location is at densely populated areas. The location is easily accessible to both traders and consumers alike, that makes the bazaar the ideal meeting spot between both parties, exuding a unique and vibrant interaction.

DIRECT SELLING

To some consumers, Pasar tani is the best place to look for fair-priced agriculture items like poultry and livestock products apart from other essentials such as vegetables.

Pasar Tani practices the direct-selling concept where the transactions made by-passed the middlemen, hence the price offered is cheaper.

Pasar Tani easily draws the consumers. Apart from the clean spot, neat and clean stalls as well as canopies, the traders were neatly attired with clean garments and aprons. This has attracted both the locals and foreign tourists alike.

"Back home we also have a similar Farmers' Market that offers freshly picked agriculture produce. Visitors can shop for fresh produce, flowers and eat freshly baked food like croissants, pizzas and tuna sandwiches', said Frank Healey, an American tourist.

That is our Malaysian way of life, the Pasar Tani. A concept formulated by Fama that provides the place where traders and consumers can interact in a unique and vibrant way.

-- BERNAMA