YAN, The increase in the rental rate of padi harvesting machines in Kedah and Perlis from RM140 per bushel (0.3 hectares) last season to RM200 starting this season is relevant to compensate for the increase in various costs nowadays. Rosli Hasan, a machinery operator from Kampung Banggol Besi, Pendang, said the operators had no choice but to raise the harvesting fees and could no longer maintain the old pricing. "We expect the increase will be RM200 per relong (0.30 hectares)…we have no choice to avoid the high capital including to buy replacement parts for these harvesting machines which have increased manifold,' he said when met at a dialogue session between rice farmers and harvesting machinery operators here today. "Besides that, we also have to cover the cost of harvesting machine drivers and if we get diesel assistance even once, we can't bring down the prices… we really can't." The media previously reported the concerns of rice farmers in Kedah and Perlis about the expected increase in the cost of harvesting rice to RM200 per relong. Another harvesting machinery operator Mohd Faizal Haziar said that although there is no final decision on the RM200 increase, he believes it cannot be avoided in this Season 1/2024. "We came to discuss harmoniously, we are stressed and the rice farmers are stressed, but like it or not we have to increase (fees)," he said. Source: BERNAMA News Agency