MELAKA, The Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) Melaka branch encouraged the participation of new entrepreneurs to market their products, especially food items, at nine farmer's market locations operating in the state to help them generate extra income. State FAMA director Nor Azhar Abdul Hamid said that to date a total of 264 entrepreneurs are registered with the agency and involved in marketing their produce at the farmers' markets in the state involving sales of RM1.67 million. 'The number of entrepreneurs will increase from time to time with the addition of two new locations in Ayer Molek and Taman Maju Jasin in addition to the existing seven locations and each farmer's market also has a different number of entrepreneurs depending on the location and population of the area involved. 'Through the direct involvement of entrepreneurs in this farmers' market, it gives them the opportunity to expand the market for agricultural produce and basic agricultural products in addition to helping to gen erate extra income as well as providing access to consumers to obtain supplies at reasonable quality and prices,' he told reporters here today. Earlier he launched the opening of the Ayer Molek Farmers' Market which operates every Saturday from 7 am to 12 noon starting from April 6. Nor Azhar said that for a start he is targeting a sales value of RM30,000 with 1,000 visitors in conjunction with the opening of the farmers' market involving 30 entrepreneurs and hopes that the operation will continue to thrive in addition to receiving a response from the public. In the meantime, he said in conjunction with the opening of the Ayer Molek Farmers' Market, FAMA also held promotional sales, including eggs priced at RM10 per tray; a MADANI combo set consisting of oil, flour, sugar and vermicelli (RM10); fresh meat (RM31 per kilogramme); standard chicken (RM12 per bird); five kilogrammes of local white rice (RM13) and the sale of Agromas products. Source: BERNAMA News Agency