Uggah (third left) explains to the applicants the need to have licences.
SIMUNJAN: Ninety-five smallholders in Kampung Sg Alit here have received federal subsidies totalling over RM1 million for planting oil palm.
Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the subsidies were for land preparation and purchase of seedlings, fertilisers and pesticides.
“The total area is 118 hectares and RM9,000 is given per hectare. This is for a period of two years
and should enable the smallholders to produce fresh fruit bunch (FFB),” he said when met by reporters after presenting the subsidies to representatives at Kampung Sg. Alit, about 100km from Kuching yesterday.
Present was Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri.
Uggah said the government also granted subsidies of RM3,000 per hectare for smallholders who were not participants of the Smallholders Development and Transformation Programme.
Each family is entitled to such subsidy for a maximum of three hectares.
“We notice some smallholders are keen to plant oil palm so they buy seedlings and do land preparation themselves. But along the way they have problems buying the inputs, and that’s where we come in to support them.
“It is part of the programme of finding ways and means of raising the income of our farmers in rural areas. One of the best crops we promote is oil palm. At the moment, oil palm seems to be able to give them quite a good income.”
On complaints that some smallholders in the state did not receive the full amount of subsidies, he advised participants to not just get the details first but also discuss with officers of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB).
“As far as the Barisan Nasional (BN) government is concerned, all expenditure must be accounted for. That is why with Nancy, we are on the ground to see how the implementation is going and to gather feedback as well.
“This is because the BN government wants it to succeed to help raise farmers’ income, and the farmers also hope the programme will raise their income.”
In Sarawak, Uggah said while MPOB was the implementation body, it was assisted by Sarawak Agriculture Department (SAD) and the Land and Survey Department (LSD).
According to him, all applications go to SAD, but when their lands are without a title and involved Native Customary Right (NCR) issues, LSD would decide whether NCR land titles should be issued.
“A lot of NCR lands do not have titles, so we are giving room to those who have NCR lands that belong to them but have yet to get the title. They can get certified by both SAD and LSD.”
Meanwhile, Nancy said the current farm road spanning 7km at the new plantation site had been categorised as part of the agropolitan project.
“If you wonder why the road is like this, actually this road is new. That is why I want to find out how long it goes and then we can tar it later. This is a project under agropolitan, so the Public Works Department (JKR) will do it.
“At least the farmers have a road instead of just using boat. For previous projects like in Kampung Telegam, Ba and Sabang, it took about a year to complete.”
Uggah led a convoy carrying representatives of MPOB and the media to Kampung Sg. Alit where the farm road leading to the plantation site was muddy due to the rain.
Some vehicles got stuck in the mud along the 7km farm road amidst drizzles, while two or three others did not make it to the site.
At Kampung Sg. Alit, MPOB officers assisted some smallholders apply for licences to sell FFB.
After Kampung Sg. Alit, the entourage visited a cocoa farm in Kampung Kujang Saing and a pepper farm in Kampung Jenan in Serian.