Latest news with #rural development
Malay Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Felcra records RM178m profit, with RM101m payout to participants starting today, says Zahid
PASIR SALAK, Aug 17 — Felcra Bhd has recorded a profit of RM178 million for up to April 2025, showing an increase compared to the previous year. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, stated that of this amount, RM101 million will be distributed to 74,300 participants nationwide in stages starting today. 'I congratulate Felcra Bhd for successfully maintaining a strong performance, with an increase of nearly RM2 million compared to the same period last year. I will be monitoring the profit distribution to all participants across the country,' he said at the 2025 First Interim Distributable Profit Declaration Ceremony for Felcra Bhd participant projects held here today. Also present were Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Rubiah Wang and Felcra Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Idris Lasim. In addition, Ahmad Zahid said Felcra Bhd continues to make history in strengthening national food security through the commercialisation of Felcra's MRQ 107 paddy – a local fragrant rice variety that serves as a high-quality alternative to imported fragrant rice. He stated that the Seberang Perak area, covering more than 3,400 hectares and cultivated using modern methods by Felcra, has shown encouraging performance with an average yield reaching eight metric tonnes per hectare annually. 'We expect production to exceed 27,000 metric tonnes of paddy, equivalent to over 16,000 metric tons of rice per year, which can meet the needs of thousands of families. Hopefully, this becomes an example for other paddy farmers,' he said. Meanwhile, Idris said the performance of the first interim distribution for 2025 was influenced by several key factors, including efficient estate management and the implementation of cost-saving measures. 'Through effective approaches in the use of fertilisers, pesticides, and farm inputs, operational costs were reduced by 15 per cent, and yield per hectare increased by 49 per cent,' he said. Idris also informed that Felcra's oil palm projects recorded an average net profit increase of 81 per cent. He emphasised that while profit distribution rates are influenced by crude palm oil price trends, improvements in estate performance remain the primary determining factor. — Bernama
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Fears for Royal Wootton Bassett's identity after housing approval
A councillor has said residents want their market town to "keep its own identity" as 400 new homes have been approved for a rural area between it and the nearest big urban development between the eastern edge of Royal Wootton Bassett and Swindon has been given outline planning Andrew Matthews from Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council said: "My residents tell me all the time if they wanted to be in Swindon, they would live in Swindon."Wiltshire Council said there has to be "valid, material planning grounds" to refuse an application, adding the development is part of a local plan and there is a legal agreement for the developer to fund £3.4m of infrastructure. The site is under a mile and a half from Junction 16 of the M4, off the A3102 behind Sally Pussey's Inn, and over a mile from the centre of Royal Wootton council received more than 400 objection letters, with many saying people were concerned that the new housing would merge the town with the western side of Swindon. "Bassett has a distinct feeling and character, and it's not part of Swindon," said Mr Matthews. He said an existing development - Woodshaw - already has issues surrounding people not being able to easily access the high street."To put 400 houses on the eastern edge of that means people are going to be car reliant, they're not going to use the facilities, and it just feels this is a case of building houses to benefit commuters into Swindon."He added: " It would be nice if we could keep this gap so that you can't just walk through a housing estate from Bassett to Swindon and not actually see any countryside.""People in Bassett aren't anti-development, they just want the development in the right place." The plans were approved due to the housing need and include land for a nursery school, a walkable neighbourhood and new open spaces and play Adrian Foster, cabinet member for strategic planning, development management and housing explained the planning committee "carefully considered" the application, including the "relationship with Swindon"."It concluded that the benefit of delivering homes for the local community, alongside the provision of relevant infrastructure, outweighed any planning harm," he said, adding the plans were also assessed and recommended for approval by planning site is part of an "emerging" local plan that is currently being considered by a government planning reporting by Pete Davison, Local Democracy Reporter.
