SERIAN: The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities, through the Malaysian Rubber Board, has intensified its efforts to attract more smallholders to claim their rubber production incentive, especially now when the rubber price is at a low point.
Its deputy minister Willie Mongin said an estimated less than two percent of smallholders in Sarawak had claimed the incentive.
“Based on the ownership of Transaction Authority Permit cards (Pat-G), there are 57,108 smallholders in the state totalling at 12.5 percent of the whole of Malaysia.
“The low amount of claimants may be caused by the lesser amount of active smallholder rubber tappers as for them to qualify for the incentive, they must be active in rubber tapping and producing rubber products,” he said.
Willie said this at a press conference after his visit to Lung Kong Rubber Sdn Bhd in Siburan and Hwah Yang Agro Industries Sdn Bhd here yesterday.
He also noted that the incentive would add a total of RM1.00 from the federal government and RM0.50 from the state government in addition to the current ceiling price of natural rubber topping at RM2.10 per kg, taking the cumulative price per kg up to RM3.50 and RM3.60.
The Puncak Borneo MP also stated that he was pleased with the standard operating procedure (SOP) compliance and procedures shown by the two companies, adding that the companies were also well maintained in terms of hygiene.
However, Willie raised his concerns on the issue regarding the lack of local natural rubber supply provided by locals in the state.
“This has, in some ways, affected the production of high quality rubber as the local natural rubber is known for its high quality and being the best in the world.
“Most of the rubber that the factories are using for manufacturing of their products is imported from other countries such as Africa, Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam,” he added.
Thus, Willie urged the big companies and corporate sectors, including private companies, to actively participate in developing the rubber industries in the state not only to manufacture downstream products but also tap into the upstream part of the industry.
“These companies can participate in rubber tree plantations and also to employ rubber tappers to produce more natural rubber,” he added.
