KAPIT: Pelagus assemblyman Wilson Nyabong Ijang has urged residents engaged in rubber cultivation to be more proactive and honest in ensuring that their rubber meets the standards required by the current market.
He said complaints from rubber buyers about rubber products containing contaminants are common, and this issue significantly impacts the overall quality of the produced rubber.
“In the end, buyers only want to purchase the rubber at a lower price because the process of separating contaminants involves costs, causing small planters themselves to suffer losses due to their negligence,” he said.
He said this when officiating at the Program Pekebun Kecil Makmur at Rumah Juin Lepong Balleh here on Wednesday.
On another note, Nyabong said the Sarawak Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (RISDA) is currently focusing more on the replanting of rubber through the Rubber Replanting Programme (TSGG) and the Agricultural Input Support and Supply Programme.
He added that the government, through RISDA has earmarked a total of RM5.5 million to implement several development programmes in the Kapit Division throughout this year.
These programmes include the Replanting Assistance Programme, Marketing Productivity Programme, Entrepreneurship Development Programme, Agrofood Programme, and Development Programme, aimed at enhancing the income of small rubber planters in the area.
Meanwhile, RISDA Kapit Division officer Mensan Belayong revealed that the agency has been present in Kapit since 2011 and has successfully managed 2,075.78 hectares of land for development programmes involving 1,103 small rubber planters in the Kapit Division.
For this year, he said around 300 small rubber planters have participated in the replanting programme covering an area of 450 hectares in rubber planting areas around Kapit, Song, Sungai Asap, and Belaga.
