MUKAH, March 27 (Bernama) -- The federal government has allocated RM250 million this year to assist oil palm, rubber, pepper and sago smallholders in Sarawak.
Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embas said the allocation would be used to assist them in buying the recommended seedlings and fertilisers, among others.
Uggah said the Barisan Nasional (BN) government was very keen to help the smallholders achieve better productivity and a better income.
"It's very important that you are able to achieve good income so that you will not be left behind when the country achieves high income status by 2020," he said when opening an oil palm smallholder seminar for about 300 participants from Mukah Division organised by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) at Menara Pehin Setia Raja, here Thursday.
Sarawak has 18,513 oil palm smallholders who are cultivating some 94,437 hectares.
Uggah advised the smallholders not to solely rely on oil palm but to diversify by cultivating other crops such as pepper, rubber or sago.
"The price of oil palm fluctuates with the market. When it is low, you can then depend on income from your other crops."
He would direct the MPOB to ensure that all fresh fruit bunch (FFB) buyers in the state to give them a fair and uniform price for their harvests.
On the Balingian by-election on Saturday (March 29), he reminded them to turn up early and in full force to vote for BN candidate Yussibnosh Balo.
Uggah said having a BN state assemblyman as their representative would give them a strong voice to air their grievances and problems to the government.
Yussibnosh, 48, is engaged in a straight fight with Abdul Jalil Bujang, 55, of PKR in the by-election, necessitated by the resignation of Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud when he stepped down as the chief minister.
Abdul Taib is now the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sarawak.
-- BERNAMA
Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embas said the allocation would be used to assist them in buying the recommended seedlings and fertilisers, among others.
Uggah said the Barisan Nasional (BN) government was very keen to help the smallholders achieve better productivity and a better income.
"It's very important that you are able to achieve good income so that you will not be left behind when the country achieves high income status by 2020," he said when opening an oil palm smallholder seminar for about 300 participants from Mukah Division organised by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) at Menara Pehin Setia Raja, here Thursday.
Sarawak has 18,513 oil palm smallholders who are cultivating some 94,437 hectares.
Uggah advised the smallholders not to solely rely on oil palm but to diversify by cultivating other crops such as pepper, rubber or sago.
"The price of oil palm fluctuates with the market. When it is low, you can then depend on income from your other crops."
He would direct the MPOB to ensure that all fresh fruit bunch (FFB) buyers in the state to give them a fair and uniform price for their harvests.
On the Balingian by-election on Saturday (March 29), he reminded them to turn up early and in full force to vote for BN candidate Yussibnosh Balo.
Uggah said having a BN state assemblyman as their representative would give them a strong voice to air their grievances and problems to the government.
Yussibnosh, 48, is engaged in a straight fight with Abdul Jalil Bujang, 55, of PKR in the by-election, necessitated by the resignation of Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud when he stepped down as the chief minister.
Abdul Taib is now the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sarawak.
-- BERNAMA
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