Controlled Fresh Market (CFM): A case of rebranding Farmers' Market with Government Intervention during Covid-19 in Malaysia

Abstract

The outbreak of Covid-19 in early 2020 has caused a rapid slowdown in global economic growth in all sectors. The impact on the agricultural sector is minor and tends to recover rapidly. This underscores the essential role of agriculture in food production, regardless of the situation. Farmers markets were innovated during Covid-19 to meet market demand and policy changes. This explains why it is behind the response to Covid-19 associated with food supply chain disruptions. Farmers markets are agile and connected to supply chain partners, so they can quickly innovate with a focused approach. Considering the shorter supply chains and smaller businesses that represent the farmers market, the fairness and relevance of the current regulatory environment can be scrutinized. The Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA), a government agency, has established the Controlled Fresh Market (CFM). Farmers markets have been renamed during Covid-19 to meet the requirements of supplying food to consumers with strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). This article focuses on the flexibility, responsiveness, and community-centric focus of the food supply chain, which enables to continue to serve communities in the face of the challenges posed by Covid-19's pandemic. The Controlled Fresh Market (CFM) is a case study of how the government has intervened to help promote and support these markets in order to meet the needs of consumers. CFM is a newly created market launched in Malaysia during Covid-19. This market was run by Malaysians.